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HISTORY 



—OF— 



1 



o>>0=4^>o^o- 



By JOHN D, SOUDER. 



.J«<^^>^o 



PLDLISHKL 1!V 

BENJAMIN L. (JEHMAN, 

HARLKV8V1LLK, l'.\ . 

1S80. 






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IIISTOIIV OF FIIANCONIA TOWNSIIU'. 



INTRODUCTORY. 

The "History of Franconia Township" is presented to the 
public as a memorial of the one hundred and fifty-fitth year of its 
incorporated existence. Material facts have been diligently 
sought after and patent labor cheerfully bestowed upon the work. 
Events are chronicled in a narrative rather than in a controver- 
sial form, and truth gleaned in a hundred sources has been con- 
densed in order to make it a valuable work for the future and 
present generations. It is submitted to a generous and intelli- 
gent people in the belief that it will meet their approval. The 
labor of the author was shared by many residents of the township, 
indeed Wm. W. Wile has our sincerest thanks for his cheerful in- 
formation we received and gleaned from his own lips. The labor 
was also shared by R. R. Hangey, Wm. S. Hemsing, H. K. God- 
shall, H. K. Hackman, R. R, Hartzel], I. C. Barndt and others. 
We finally extend our sincerest thanks for their co-operation and 
cheerful information. This little work was never intended to be 
published in book form at the beginning, but were hastily written 
to meet each week's publication of the Weekly News, and, there- 
fore we do not claim for them any measures of literary merit- 
The little book contains many mistakes due to the printer and 
author, but nevertheless it will fill its mission for what it had 
been prepared. The writing ol a history is not as easy a matter 
as many may suppose. It is for one to pull in the far dim dis- 



:; "iISTOKV OF FKA^CUMA TOW vsilll'. 

taiice oi liio p;ist, then where shail you begin nnd what shitll be 
omitted. It is the pen of a general historian which gives us the 
principal events of the past and the present leaves much unwrit- 
ten, like the husbandman in the harvest held, there is ahva^^s 
something left for the gleaners. So the minor occurrences of hfe, 
if not gathered by the local historian, are lost to us and our chil- 
dren. It is to those following after us that most of this interest 
IS attached. We seeing the every day events as they transpire 
around us do not realize how highly they would be prized in after 
years, The lives and habits of our country people fiir removed 
froin the bustle and turmoil of city life do not reveal, it is^ true, 
striking characteristics, yet they have l)heir way, their modes of 
life and living, their daily routine of businesor of pleasure, which, 
if narrated in a simple way only, would be a gratification to many 
a household. We readily see how this would be the case if mem- 
ory would only be carried back a single generation to behold what 
mighty changes have been wrought therein. The ways, methods 
and usages of foi'mer times are supplanted In- new practices, 
and with it the bound of thought is enlarged. Our local histor- 
ians have aided greatlj- in rescuing from oblivion much that 
would otherwise have been lost, and contributed largelv to the 
fvmd of general information, as recorded by local historians in 
shape for further reference. It is both interesting and instruc- 
tive to read the history of our forefathers, to understand by what 
toils, through what difficulties, over what obstacles they, from a 
feeble colony planted in nn unexplored wilderness, struggled uj) 
to a position of wealth and power. 

J. D. SOUDEK. 
T<''!ford. AuoTist 10th, 188r; 



HISTORY OF KllANCONlA TOWNSllU'. iii 

CONTENTS; 

PART I. 

Lt.3 SixaATiox— Deriviatiox of its Name — Number of Tax- 

ABLES AND AmOUN'T OF TAXATION ItS EaRLIEST SeTTLEKS — 

First Tannery — Other Assf'ssments. 1 

PART II. 
Land-Holders of 1792 — Tax Assessed on Bachelors -Names 
i>F Land-Holders and Bachelors [n 1792. 3 

PART III. 
Villages — Telford — County Line Hotel— Sou dertu.\ - 
Franconia Square and Fran(^oniaville. 5 

PART \\. 
Education — Parochial and Private Schools — How Condu* - 
ted' — Tuition — County Scholars — Common Schools Es- 
tablished — The Schools Connected with the Churches — 
The Pri<]sent Schools. . S 

PART V. 
Church — Early Religion — Reformation — Religious De- 
nominations — Mennonites, their first Meeting House — - 
Indianfield Lutheran CHURCif, Founded and Rebuilt — 
Ministers — Reformed Church on the Indian Creek, 
Founded and Reiu-ilt — Leidy's Church. 12 

PART Vl. 

Politics — First \^oting Places — Townshir Committee — 
V'oTES IN 1775 — Acts Passed and \^oting Places ('hanged 
Number of Votes in 1884 — Justice of the Pea(^e — Other 
Township Officers. 16 

PAPvT VH. 

ABORiGlNEES-TllEIR ReLICS-InDIAxNS AbaNDON OUR TERRITORY. 19 

PART VHL 

AorI'Ulture as Prm'Tised ry our Ancestors — As Practised 

To-DAV 22 

PART JX. 

Newspvpers \ND Lodges — The "Montgomery County Press" " 



Iv HISTORY UK FKANCONTA TOWNSHIP. 

— SouDKRTON "Independent" — The Redmen and Sons of 
America. 25 

PART X. 

Early Germans — Cause of Emmigration — The German Ele- 
ment — Their Religion. 27 

PART XL 

Zoology and Minerals — Birds — Reptiles — Minerals. 30 

PART XII. 

Roads and Conveyance — First Roads — Custom of Travel — 
Roads To-day. 32 

PART XII. 

Manners and Customs — Sports and Pastimes — Local Super- 
stition. 34 

PART XIV. 

Private Rurying Grounds — Fuhrman's Graveyard — Other 
Neglected Graveyards. 37 

PART XV. 

acconuts of the poor of the township statements of the 

Overseers of the Poor. 41 

PART XVI. 

The Lutheran Congregation — Pastors-Edifice-Graveyard. 47 

PART XVII. 

Reformed " Church — Doctrine — Indian Creek Reformed 
Church — Its Burying Ground — Leidy's Reformed Congre- 
gation — Its Burying Ground. 52 

PART XVIII. 

Dunkards or German Baptist — Their Principles — Emmigra- 
tion TO America — Their Houses of Worship — Burying 
Grounds. 58 



11 [STORY OF FKANCONIA TOWNSHIP. v 

PART XIX. 

TnH Mi:nnon!ti:;s-— Thhik Doctuine — Schisms oi" thk Menno- 
yiTE Ciirucn — F'haxconta Mheimng House anm) roN(iKE(;A- 
TroN — SoLDEUTON Meeting House. 02 

PART XX, 

IIerrite Denominatiox — Their House oe \A'oRsim' — Burv- 
ING Grolm). G'> 

PART XXI 

Village History — Telford — Souderto.v — Frax'oniaville-- 
Fhamoma Square^ — Midway — Karlixgton — Rksivg Su.n 
Hotel — G ehm ans. 72 

PART XXTT. 

Progress of Civilization. <S() 

PART XXH. 

PlOXEEU SeTTLHR.S DeS( RIPTION OE THEIR FaRMIXG 94 



HISTORY OF FRANCONIA TOWNSHIP. 



PART I. 

ITS SITUATION DERIVATION OF ITS NAME NUMUEK OF TAXAI'.LES, AND 

AMOUNT OF TAXATION ITS EARLIEST SETTLERS — ITS FIRST TANNERY 

OTHER ASSESSMENTS. 



Fraiiconia township is situated 
in the northeastern part of 
Montgomery county, joining- 
Bucks county on the northeast 
and Upper and Lower Salford 
Hatfield township on the west, 
south and east. Its area is 1481 
square miles or 9520 acres. 
The surface is generally level, 
but sufficiently undulating to 
susceptible of surface drainage 
into the headwaters of the 
Skippach, Branch and Indian 
creeks, all of which liow through 
the township, allbrdhig light 
but useful water power and mill 



sites. The eastern branch of 
the Perkiomen forms the north- 
western boundary of the town- 
ship. 

The name of Franconia is de- 
rived from an old Duchy, which 
afterwards formed a circle of 
the Germanic Empire, and sig- 
nifies " Ljind of the Franks," 
whence aho France. On 

Holme's map of" 1682 it is called 
the "Dutch township," from 
which we inter that the Dutch 
were its earliest settlers. 

In 1734 the township con- 
tained thiit^'-tbur taxab'es and 



2 HlSTOiiY OF FllANCONlA TOWNSHIP, 

land-holders, nearly all Ger- and Jacob Oberlioltzei' 



mans. Anioni'st these inav be 
mentioned John Fry, 15U acres ; 
Henry Rosenberi^er, 125 acres ; 
John Oberholtzer, 150 acres ; 
Christian Meyor, 150 acres ; 
Ulrich Hmisberger, 50 acres ; 
Frederick Gotshalk, 100 acres ; 
Michael Bing, 100 acres; Mich- 
ael Hentz, 100 acres ; George 
Hartzell, 100 acres ; Anch-ew 
Barndt, 75 acres: Henry Barndt, 
loo acres ; Frederick Scholl, 
100 acres ; Jacob Bayard. 100 
acres, and John Wilhelm. 50 
acres. Most of these have de- 
scendants residing in the town- 
ship at the present day. Chris- 
tian Meyor arrived in 1727, 
Frederick Sholl in 1728, Jacob 
Oberholtzer, George Hartzell, 
Ludwig Hartzell, Michael Wil- 
helm and JohnnasFry in 17o0 ; 



ni 

August, 17o2. These, perhaps, 
all came from the Palatinate or 
Pfaltz. 

One of the tirst settlers of the 
township is said to have l)een 
Christian Funk, who settled on 
the Indian creek, below the mill 
of George 8. Reift". The Souders 
of the township are descendants 
of his family, and are now re- 
siding throughout the township 
in multitudes. 

Leidy's tannery, one mile 
south of Souderton, was founded 
in 1780 by Jacob Leidy, grand- 
father of the present proprietor. 

In 1785 there was one tavern 
licensed, two grist mills, one tan- 
nrey and two slaves assessed. 
The taxes assessed was for de- 
fraying the public expenses of 
the countv. 



HISTORY OF FRANCONIA TOWNSHIP. 



PART II. 

LAND-HOLDERS IN 1794 TAX ASSESSED ON BACHELORS — NAMES OF LAND- 
HOLDERS AND BACHELORS IN 1794. * 



In 1794 George Bilger, a tax 
collector for that year, returned 
ninety-six owners and occupiers 
of improved lands in the town- 
ship. Seventy-three of the num- 
ber were assessed for taxable 
valuables over two hundred 
pounds, and twenty-three for 
sums less than two hundred 
pounds. 

The tax assessed was for the 
purpose of defraying the pul:»lic 
expenses of the county. The 
total sum of duplicate was 
seventy-four pounds, five shill- 
ings and two pence In addi- 
tion to this tax laid upon real 
and personal property, the sum 
of three pounds and ten shillings 
was laid upon eleven single men 
residing in the township. This 



latter subject of taxation was so 
remarkable that we give place 
to their names : George Hertole, 
Jacob Landes, John Hunsberger, 
George Cope, Christian Huns- 
berger, George Rosenbergey, 
Abraham Moyer, Samuel Moyer, 
Christian Mo^^er and Joseph 
Smith. The law under which 
these young bachelors were 
taxed was general throughout 
the State at the date of this as- 
sessment. Amongst the assess- 
ed land-holders of 1794 were 
John Althouse, George Bilger, 
Henry P)erndt, Isaac Bergey, 
Christian Benner, Samuel Brode, 
Captain John Cope, Peter Con- 
ver, George Cressman, Henry 
Deitz, Peter Daub, Abraham 
Dulp, John Detweiler, Henry 



HISTORY OF FRANCONIA TOWNSHIP. 



Furman, John Freid, Jacob Ger- 
hard, Andrew Hentz, George 
Hartzell, Christian Hunsberger, 
John Hackman, Jacob Hagey, 
John Kindig, Abraham Clem- 
mer, George Kriebel, John 
Leister, Yell is Landes, Henry, 
John, Isaac and Benjamin 
Landis, John Leidy, Susana 
Mover, John, Isaac and Chris- 
tian Moyer, Abraham Neiss. 
Jacob Oberholzer Philip Obe- 
dier, Jacob Oberdorf, Isaac, 
Henry, Christian and Jacob 
Souder, George Shoemaker, 
George School 1, John Swartley, 
George Shneider, Jacob Wam- 
pold, Andrew Swartz, Daniel 
Wampold, Michael VVierman, 
John Wilson, George Wunder- 
lick and James Yocum. It will 
be observed by reference to the 
tax duplicate of 1884 that many 
names will be found of those 
families, most of which descend 
from the above names. The 
number of taxable persons have 
increased in a just ratio with 
values in this township. In 



1734 there were 34, 1741, 59 ; 

1828, 190 ; 1858, 380, and in 
1884, 678. The estimate value 
of all real and personal property 
assessed in 1794 was $127,470; 
the value as returned by the as- 
sessor for 1884 is $1,456,330. 
The per capita taxable value to 
each person assessed in 1794 
was $1327, and in 1884 it was 
$2148. The increase in popu- 
lation has l)een in like ratio, in 
1800 it was 629, in 1830, 998; 
in 1850, 1270; in 1870, 1950, 
and iu 1880, 2556. 

The last two decades seem to 
have been the most favorable of 
any in the history of the town- 
ship. An increase of 1 380 souls 
in a total population of 2556 
persons, within a period of 
twenty-six years, argues well 
for an inland township. It was 
douljtless due to the openhig of 
the North Pennsylvania railroad 
and the local commercial enter- 
prise and village life brought 
with it. 



HISTORY OF FRANCONIA TOWNSHIP. 



PART III. 



VILLAGES TELFORD COUNTY LINE HOTEL SOUDERTON- 

SQUARE AND FRANCONIAVILLE. 



-FRANCONIA 



The returns of the merchan- 
tile appraiser for 1884 shows that 
there are over sixty business 
firms within the limits of the 
township, which shows the capi- 
talized energy and thrift of the 
Franconia people. 

VILLAGES AND POST-OFFICES. 

The villages of the township 
are Franconia Square, near the 
centre ; Franconiaville, in the 
southern part of the township, 
and Telford and Souderton on 
the railroad in the eastern part 
of the township, and another 
little vi'dnge which has sprung 
up within the last few years in 
the northern part on the 
Allentown road called Earling- 
ton. The post-offices are Tel- 
ford, Franconia, Souderton and 



Gehman. 

VILLAGE OF TELFORD. 

The ground on which Telford 
village stands was bought in 
1737 by Conrad Detterer from 
Humphrey Murry. It em- 
braces about 120 acres, the 
greater part of it lying on the 
Montgomery side. Quite early 
it became the junction of public 
roads. What is known as the 
county line road was opened in 
1752. Since the location and 
construction of the North Penn- 
sylvania railroad it has become 
an important place of business, 
supporting the usual industries 
of a village — Wheelwrighting 
and carriage making, smithing, 
tin smithing, stone cutter, har- 
ness making, carpeting, ca])inet 



6 HISTORY OF FRANCONIA TOWNSHIP 

rricaking, watch makiiisi;, cheese population numbers now about 



box manufacturing, planning 
mill and steam agricultural ma- 
chinery repair shop, also a beer 
bottlino; establishment. 

COUNTY LINE HOTEL. 

The County Line Hotel in the 
village of Telford was erected 
in 1857, by J.N. Souder. Jona- 
than Barndt, residing on the 
cowpath, hauled the first load of 
stones for its erection. The 
wash nnd bake house still at- 
tached to the hotel is the first 
building in the village. One of 
the oldest buildings in Telford 
is a one-story structure on the 
premises formerly owned by 
Mr. Wigner, and is yet in good 
order. There are stores, deal- 
ers in lumber, coal, feed, flour, 
hay and live stock, all of which 
attract to it the patronage of a 
fine agricultural neighborhood. 
There is also located here a 
Union chapel, built in 1876 ; 
used principally for Sunday 
school purposes. The railroad 
facilities have made the place 
desiral)le for residences and the 



600. 

VILLAGE OF SOUDERTON, 

The village of Souderton is 
situated on the line of the North 
Pennsylvania railroad and about 
twenty-six miles from Philadel- 
phia. It comprises about one 
hundred residences, with all the 
industries and commercial thrift 
that mark the enterprising 
towns along the line of railroad 
from Philadelj^hia to Bethle- 
hem. The Union National bank 
is located here. It was estab- 
lished in 1876 with a capital of 
$90,000. It has been well 
managed and is an indispensible 
institution to the community. 

OTHER VILLAGES. 

Francorna Square and Fran- 
coniaville are old-time land- 
marks, founded by the opening 
of hotels and stores,. mechanical 
industries and post-offices. The 
origin is now scarcely known to 
the oldest inhabitants of the vi- 
cinity. The buildings of these 
villages are plain and substan- 
tial, but have the comforts and 



HISTORY OF FRANCONIA TOWNSHIP. 7 

necessities of life characteristics nying people who possess and 
of tlie unassuming and self-de- inhabit them. 



HISTORY OF FRANCONTA TOWNSHIP. 



PART IV. 



EDUCATION PARCHORAL AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS HOW CONDUCTED 

TUITION COUNTY SCHOLARS COMMON SCHOOLS ESTABLISHED THE 

SCHOOLS CONNECTED WITH THE CHURCHES THE PRESENT SCHOOLS. 



EDUCATION. 

The importance of educating 
the youth of the township was 
the subject of early and contin- 
ued solicitude upon the part of 
the men having charge of the 
public affairs of the township. 
The common schools of the col- 
onial era (prior to 1776) were 
those in connection with the 
church or meeting house, and 
sometimes in the family as 
private schools. The church 
and the school house were gen- 
erally built side by side and the 
preacher was often the teacher. 
The parochial schools of the 
township was an important lac- 
tor in society. The private 
schools were taught by persons 



of examp'ary chanicter, and in 
many instances of eminent abil- 
ity. It is edifying to compare 
the schools of the past to the 
present. 

SCHOOL SYSTEM. 

The costs of building a school 
house were met by voluntary 
contributions. Whenever a 
neighborhood felt the need of a 
school house it was erected in a 
convenient place. The patrons 
elected trustees to take charge 
of the school property and to 
select a teacher for the school. 
If the teacher chosen by the 
trustees could secure enough 
pupils to warrant him to open a 
school he would do so, if not, he 
would seek a school elsewhere. 



HISTORY OF FHANCONTA TOWNSHIP. 

The teacher was paid by those was paid by the county were 



sending the pupils. Those who 
could not pay received instruc- 
tions at the cost of the county. 
The rate w^as two dollars per 
quarter or three cents per day. 
This was according to the act 
of 1809. The outfit of the 
pupil cost about one dollar, and 
consisted of an English reader 
or testament, a Comly's spell- 
ing book, a Rose arithmetic, a 
slate and pencil, an ink stand 
and a goose quill. A teacher 
who taught til en informed me 
that their schools were in a 
miserable condition, and that to- 
day such schools as then existed 
would not be tolerated in the 
worst manao;ed districts in the 
county. Said he, to me, " We 
had no furniture, no apparatus, 
no suitable text books, no clas- 
sification, nothing. We could 
do but little else than mending 
quills and make out bills for 
tuition of poor children to pre- 
sent to the county commissioner 
who docked us unmercifully." 
The children whose schoolino- 



classed as county scholars. Thus 
the law created an unpleasant 
caste in the school and in the 
community. Many a parent 
who was unable to pay for the 
education of their children would 
keep them from school rather 
than say to the township assess- 
or, "put me on the poor list." 
Many a poor scholar refused to 
go to school an account of the 
taunt, "Oh, you are a county 
scholar." The parochial schools 
of the township were held in 
the school house at the Indian 
Creek Reformed church, torn 
down at the time of the 
erection of the new church. 
There was also one at the 
Franconia Mennonite meet- 
ing house and a few more. 
Scholars attended those few 
schools from the entire township, 
thus some had to go a consider- 
able distance. An old resident 
says, "When I was a boy, sixty- 
five years ago, we had no 
schools sometimes for two or 
three years, then a stranger 



10 



HISTOKY OF FRANCONIA TOWNSHIP. 



would come along and pretend 
to be a teaclier, he would start 
a school, if supported, and would 
teach the lower branches." 

COMMON SCHOOLS. 

The State at length awoke 
from her lathargy about the 
year 1833, and took the matter 
seriously in hand and passed an 
act to establish a general system 
of education by common schools 
and was approved by Governor 
Wolf, April 1st, 1834. The 
act was much opposed in this 
township and held to its paro- 
chial system as late as 1851, 
when the cominon school system 
went into operation, having 
opened the schools for five 
months. From tlie act of the 
Legislature we acquired our 
present schools. When the act 
went into operation for the es- 
tablishment of common schools, 
our citizens in the township, as 
well as in some others, were 
greatly ()p]-)Osed, as they had in 
their opinion that it would dis- 
place their parochial schools, or 



the various religious denomina- 
tions of the township, as the 
schools at this time were nearly 
all established on this plan, 
in which their children were 
taught the principles of their 
christian religion, and at the 
same time the necessary parts 
of learning, to which the atten- 
tion of the youth is generally call- 
ed. Now, when the foundation 
stone of their religious institu- 
tions was striu-k by the act of 
the common school system, 
which necessarily supplanted 
their parochial schools, they had 
reason to apprehend danger to 
their church. Therefore he who 
regards the Franconia German 
as opposed to education wrongs 
them. Civil and religious tyr- 
anny brought them here, where 
they were solemnly [)r()mised 
immunity against a re-occur- 
rence of the same evil. With 
such a promise of Penn and his 
cradjutors they came and planted 
a German colony. It was not 
long, however, before they found 
the schools under the control of themselves subje<3t to English 



HISTORY OF FRANCONIA TOWNSHIP- 



11 



laws, summened before English 
courts and sentenced in a lan- 
guage of which they knew not a 
sylable. In the matter of relig- 
ion they only enjoyed untrem- 
bling freedom, and this was un- 
doubtedly dear to them because 
it was all that was left they 
brought from their Fatherland. 
Now, when the foundation stone 
of their religious institutions was 
struck at by an attempt to es- 
tablish "common schools," there 
was sufficient reason to appre- 
hend danger for their church. 



For want of space and time I 
cannot give you a satisfactory 
history of the schools of Fran- 
conia township. There are 
twelve schools in the township, 
with 536 scholars enrolled for 
the school year ending June, 
1884, and length of term taught 
was five months. The salary 
paid to teachers was thirty-five 
dollars per month ; male and 
female employed. The school 
buildings are plain, but substan- 
tial, with ample grounds. 



12 



HISTORY OF FEANCONIA TOWNSHIP. 



PART V. 

CHURCH EARLY RELIGION REFORMATION RELIGIOUS DENOAIINATIONS 

MENNONITES THE FIRST MEETING HOUSE INDIAN FIELD LUTHERAN 

CHURCH, FOUNDED AND REBUILT MINISTERS REFORMED CHURCH ON 

THE INDIAN CREEK, FOUNDED AND REBUILT MINISTERS LEIDY'S 

CHURCH. 



RELIGION. 

Religion is one of the deepest 
instincts of the human soul. It 
is 80 nearly universal that no 
race has been found on earth 
destitute of the feeling ; nay, 
few, if any, have been discover- 
ed whose aspirations do not ex- 
tend beyound the present life, 
the ancient world was subject to 
the divinities and forms of wor- 
ship prescribed by kings and 
priests conjointly ; hence free 
denominations, the inherent 
right of free belief, was a liberty 
unknown to the ancient world. 
This dearly bought franchise, 
the gioj'y of our age and nation. 



is the legitimate fruit of the 
great reformation of the six- 
teenth century- In that era the 
sacred scriptures were dragged 
forth from the Cloristers, trans- 
lated into the connnon tongue, 
and sent forth as "The Word 
of God." Nothing is more 
patent in our early history 
then that mo^t of our progeni- 
tors tied, to a then wilderness 
shore, for this grand idea, the 
right to worship God according 
to the dictate of their own c(m- 
science. For this they tied from 
their country willing to leave 
civilization behind and face the 
wide ocean nnd land on a conti- 



HISTORY OF FRANCONIA TOWNSHIP, 
nent inhabited hv savai>e men 



13 



and wild beasts. All denonii- 
nations conjoining then settled 
our new township, which are 
only distingnished b}^ slight dif- 
ference in belief and external 
condnct. The chief religious 
denominations of the township 
are Mennonites, Reformed,Luth- 
eran, Dunkards and a few Evan- 
galists, but have no edifice. The 
Mennonites are easily distin- 
guished from other denomina- 
nations in their non use of the 
sacremeiits in their testimony 
jigainst war, oaths, a paid minis- 
try, and the pride of life gener- 
ally . They use also great plain- 
ness of speech and attire ; they 
are opposed to law suits, slavery 
and intemperance ; they settle 
their ovvn disputes and maintain 
their own poor. Mennonites 
settled in Pennsylvania as early 
as 1683. In 1832 there were 
five houses of worship in Mont- 
gomery county, which since in- 
creased to thirteen. Tliej' have 
been rent several times by 
schism. The first Mennonite meet- 



ing house in Franconia township 
was of stone and 1)uilt in the 
year 1730, the second, also of 
stone, forty-five by seventy-five 
feet was built in 1833, and has 
a seating capacity of over seven 
hundred. The present member- 
ship numbers about 450. Josiah 
Clemmer was elected Bishop in 
1861. The Souderton meeting 
house was built in 1879, of brick, 
fourty by fifty feet. 

INDIAN FIELD LUTHERAN CHURCH. 

The Indian Field Lutheran 
chiu^ch is among the oldest 
Lutheran congregations in Penn- 
sylvania, and was from the be- 
ginning entirely Lutheran. A 
log church was built in 1830, 
enlarged in 1766, and gave 
place to the present stone church 
in 1792, which in 1868 received 
for the third time a new roof, 
an organ was procured in 1820. 
A fire in 1850 unfortunately de- 
stro3^ed many of the old docu- 
ments of the church. The cre- 
ation of a congregation at Sel- 
lers ville took away many mem- 
bers, but there were still in 



HISTORY OF FRANC 

1878 200 communicants. Some 
of the names of the early found- 
ers are still represented in the 
church — Wambold, Cressman, 
Rees. The present constitution 
was adopted in 1836. The ex- 
isting church record was begun 
in 1753 by Pastor Frederick 
Shultz. The earliest pastor 
known was John Conrad An- 
dreal, who came to this country 
in 1742 from Germany, landing 
in Philadelphia and settled at 
Goschenhoppen. H<^ assumed 
charge of the Goschenhoppen, 
New Goschenhoppen and Indian 
Field churches, where he re- 
mained until 1751. In that 
year Lucus Rouse began service 
till 1752 when the Rev. Jacob 
Schultz became pastor, and ser- 
ved until 1763, when Rev. John 
Roth succeeded him. From 
that time to the present it was 
served by the old goschenhop- 
pen church, and since 1865 ser- 
ved by the Rev. Frederick 
Waltz, who has also church at 
Sellersville. The Lutheran is 
the most numerous denomina- 



^ONIA TOWNSHIP. 



14 



tion in the county having in 
1870 twenty-five houses of wor- 
ship. Most of their ancestors 
came from Russia. In 1832 
there were eight Lutheran 
churches. This denomination 
has undergone fewer changes by 
transplation from Europe and 
less disturbed by schisms than 
any other. 

INDIAN CREEK REFORAIED CHURCH 

The Reformed church on the 
Indian creek was founded in 
1753 by the Rev. Jacob Rees, 
who was its first pastor, and be- 
£iun its labor June 3d. Amono; 
the founders of the church were 
John Neis, Jacob Arndt, Peter 
Gerhart, Jacob Leidy, John 
Shellenberger, John and Henry 
Sellers, William Althouse and 
Abraham Arndt. With the ex- 
ception of Arndt and Neis these 
flxmilies are all represented in 
the church . In 1 7 34 the present 
church lot was bought by 
Michael Bergey, and in that year 
a log church was built. This 
was replaced in 1775 by a 
rough stone church with a hip 



HISTORY OF FlIANCONIA TOWNSHII 

root', which was used until 1826, of 400. 
when the third church, forty-two 
l)y forty-eight, also of stone, was 
cree-ted. The present church, 
forty- two bv sixtv-five feet was 



15 



built in 1879^ The Rev. Jacob 
llees was its first minister, and 
was succeeded as follows : Revs. 
C. Gobrecht. Casper Wack, John 
T. Fabor, John M. Kern, Lenn, 
John A. Strausberger, Joshua 
Derr, P. S. Fisher and Jacob 
Kehni, who has charge of the 
pulpit at present, since 1871. 
The church has a membership 



LEIDY S REFORMED CllUliril. 

What is known as Leidy's 
Reformed church is located be- 
low Souderton and was built in 
1858. A school house and a 
grave yurd was there a hundred 
years before. The school house 
was also used for worship. Its 
members are from the Indian 
creek church, of which it was 
for a time a part. Its pastors 
were Revs. P. S. Fisher and J. 
G. Dengler, the latter is still in 
charge. 



16 



HISTORY OF FRANCONTA TOWNSHIP. 



PART VI. • 

rOLITICS FIRST VOTING PLACES TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE VOTES IN 1775 

ACTS PASSED AND VOTING PLACES CHANGED NUMBER OF VOTES IN 

1884 JUSTICE OF THE PEACE OTHER TOWNSHIP OFFICERS. 



POLITICS. 

The political history of the 
township of the past and present 
is now before me and is a diffi- 
cult history to chronicle. Mont- 
goinery county became a subdi- 
vision of the State soon after the 
Revolution in 1775. At that 
time people only recognized one 
political division, that of Loyalist 
and Rebel, Patriot and Tories. 
The Patriots and Tories were 
greatly opposed against each 
other, and the.'^e two parties gave 
use to two political parties. 
There were less than twenty 
thousand pieople in the county 
at the time of its creation and 
only three voting ])laces fixed 
1)y law to poll votes, i. p. Nor- 



ristown, Eckert's tavern, in 
White Marsh, and Krep's tavern, 
in New Hanover. Voters in 
this township were compelled to 
go all the way down to White 
Marsh to cast their votes. The 
following are the names of the 
persons of the township com- 
mittee of Franconiato represent 
the Montgomery county com- 
mittee for electing the first Gov- 
ernor of Pennsylvania: Jacob 
Oberholtzer, John Wilson, 
Michael Shoemaker, John Alt- 
house, Jacoli Gerhart and Cap- 
tain John Cope. This was in 
the years 1791) and 1800. 

Prior to 1777 the entire city 
and county of Philadelphia, now 
a portion of Montgomery county. 



HISTORY OF FRANCONIA TOWNSHIP. 



17 



lield their election in the State 
house in the city of Philadel- 
phia. 

At an election held in the 
State House, Philadelphia, Oc- 
tober 3, 1775 there were 3122 
votes cast. At a general elec- 
tion held for Governor in No- 
vember, 1875, just one hundred 
years later, in the same terri- 
tory, Philadelphia and Mont- 
o'omerv count v. The total 
nundjer of votes cast in the two 
districts was 120,836. 

CHANGING VOTING PLACES. 

An act of the general Assem- 
l)]y was passed June 14, 1777 
dividing the county and city of 
Philadelphia into three election 
districts. Voters .\t that time 
were called freeman. The free- 
men of the second district were 
ordered to hold their election at 
the public house of Jacob \Yentz, 
Worcester Township. This dis- 
trict included Franconia town- 
ship. By an act of the Legisla- 
tiu'e passed September 10, 1784, 
Montgomery' county was taken 
apart of Philale'phia county, 



and is the same to-day as when 
first laid out The county was 
then formed, and it became 
necessary to change the places 
for hold ino-creneral elections. An 
act of the general Legislature 
was passed which divided the 
county again into three districts. 
Franconia township again con- 
stituted a part of the second 
district and was ordered to hold 
their election at Michael K' rep's 
tavern. New Hanover township. 
By an act passed March 31st, 
1797 the county was again di- 
vided into five election districts. 
Franconia constituted part of 
the fourth district and was or- 
dered to hold their electicm at 
the private house of Christian 
Weber, Towamencin township. 
By an act of March 31st, 1806, 
Franconia township was annex- 
ed into the fourth district and 
held their election at the house 
of John Hughs, in Towamencin 
township, now KuLpsville. By 
an act March 16th, 1847, 
the township of Franconia was 
first formed into a seperate elec- 



18 HISTORY OF FR 

turn district, and was ordered to 
hold their election in the store 
house of Daniel L. Moyer. In 
1882 there were sixty-two elec- 
tion districts in Monto;onier\- 
county, which polled a total 
vote of 20,468 for the difierent 
candidates for Governor, Fran- 
conia being- the largest Republi- 
can district and polled forBeaver 
396 votes, The number of 
votes now polled at the perma- 
nent place of election, Franconia 
Square, is upwards of 700 votes, 
of which two-thirds are zealous 
Republicans. Should Franconia 
ever be divided into two election 
districts, East and West, the 
latter would contain al)out 
enough Democrats to hold an 
hcmest election. 

TOWNSHIP OFFICHRS. 



VNCONTA TOWNSHIP. 

The first Justice of the Peace 
of Franconia township was Sam- 
uel Wanipole, and Jacob Schlof, 
behig elected in conformity with 
the revised constitution of 1838. 
Prior to 1802 the township offi- 
cers were two Supervisors, one 
Assessor and two respectable 
citizens for inspectors. Since 
the adoption of the new consti- 
tution in 1838 considerable 
change was made, the office of 
the Justice of the Peace Con- 
stable, Supervisor, Assessor, As- 
sistant Assessor, Auditor, Treas- 
urer, to which were, since 18-31, 
added School Directors. The 
first election of township ofiicers 
was held on the third Friday in 
March, 1840, which day has 
since been changed to the second 
Tuesday in Februarv. 



HISTORY OF FRANCONIA TOWNSHIP. 



19 



PART VII. 
ABORIGINEES. 



In connection with the his- 
tory of Franconia township I 
will give a brief" statement of 
the aboriginees that once inhab- 
ited our broad acres. It is now 
392 years since the commercial 
world learned first of the 
American Indians, and from 
whence they came remains a 
mj'stery to us. Indians who 
were once the proud possessors 
of this tract of land we now oc- 
cupy and honorably and peace- 
fully acquired of them by 
William Penn, the founder 
of our great commonwealth, 
have completely vanished from 
our soil over a hunib'ed years 
ago. Two hundred 3'ears or 
more have elapsed since Chris- 
tian civilization first confronted 



these savages on our soil. Since 
then their hunting grounds 
have been turned into wide 
areas of agricultural wealth 
and commercial splendor, and 
the rude impliments of their 
simple mode of living are on 
exhibition for antique curiosities. 
Back to Alleghane^'s, across the 
fathers of waters, across the 
Rocky mountains they receded 
through the strong arms of a 
superior race of men. By suc- 
ceeding generations this savage 
race will undoubtedh* disappear 
from our wide continent. It is 
certainly true that the}' have 
left no impression of their exis- 
tancein this part of the country, 
except a few relics of their rude 
war utensils which were lost by 



HISTORY OF FRANCONIA TOWNSHIP. 
It is true to them the Indians as practical by 



•20 

them 

earth seemed to have had no 
higher utiUty than a hunting- 
ground. There is perhaps no 
other portion in Montgomery 
county that is richer in histori- 
cal events than our own town- 
ship of Franconia. Watered by 
numbers of streams and rivulets 
and covered wdde with dense 
forests rendered it a most favor- 
able home for the Red men. 
The Indian creek valley was 
perhaps more thickly settled 
with Indians than any other 
place. The vast amount and 
variety of relics found within 
this valley clearly establishes 
this fact. In the vicinity of 
springs along this creek, of 
which many abound, skillfully 
executed flint arrow heads have 
been collected, and stone imple- 
ments in great variety of forms 
and features. Tradition says it 
was here that there last council 
fire was burning before they left 
our soil . The first settlers found 
the valley of the Indian creek 
under rude cultivation of the 



them, 

and named this stream of water 
at once in honor of the Indians. 
The Indians plied their hands 
to husbandry here long after 
the first settlement. It was not 
until the township was thickly 
settled and the main hunting 
grounds succumbed to the wood- 
man's axe that the native for- 
esters or Indians abandoned 
their wigwams and hunting 
grounds to the white settlers. 
Their method of agriculture 
would contrast strangely with 
those of ours at the present day, 
but it met there immediate 
wants, and their little clearing, 
no doubt, left them many a 
pounder full of hominy for their 
evening meal. It is supposed 
that there is much gilt incurred 
in the manner which the early 
settlers treated the Indians as 
well as under the present treat- 
ment in the Western Territories, 
although it is deemed necessary 
to sweep the Indians away from 
our great continent to make 
place for the husbandman to till 



HISTORY OF FRANCONIA TOWNSHIP. 21 

Indeed, William Wile, an old 
sage in his eightieth year, has 
our sincerest thanks for the in- 
formation we gleaned from his 
own lips on the subject of the 
Indians. 



and cultivate the soil to feed 
the millions in our crowded 
cities professing a Christian 
civilization. For want of space 
I must close the history of the 
al:»orignees in connection with 
history of Franconia township. 



22 



HISTORY OF FEANCONIA TOWNSHIP. 



PART VIII. 

AGRICULTURE. 



The annals of agriculture of 
this township is flattering that 
we deem it appropriate to give 
a Ijrief history of their farms 
and plantations. The farms 
are so divided in proportion 
that the work is mostly per- 
formed by their sons and 
daughters. The active tillers 
of the soil here are the same 
kind of men as those who fill 
the profession of mechanical 
and commercial pursuits. It 
was not here like in the South 
that the work was only per- 
formed by degraded slaves, and 
the proprietor living in luxury 
and splender. It is reported 
tlint there were never more 
than two slaves employed with- 
in the limits of Franconia-, and 



I am indeed proud that we may 
not boast of no more. The 
primitive condition of the soil 
in this township as compared 
with those lying in river valleys 
is considered improductive, but 
under the skillfull husbandry of 
these modern farmers and a 
liberal use of lime, manure and 
fertilizer this vast tract of land 
yields abundant harvest, and 
supports a prosperous popula- 
tion. In 1681 this tract of land 
consisted yet in proprietory 
grants held by comparatively 
few persons, who lived a fron- 
tier life in almost daily contact 
with the Indians, since itsbrond 
acres must have passed through 
at least six generations, and 
hundreds of purchasers have 



HISTORY OF FRANCONIA TOAVNSHIP. 



23 



acquired titles to soil that have 
alwaj^s been priced in the in- 
ventory of worldly posessions 
of those who lived and died on 
the soil of Franconia. The 
lands are greatly diversified by 
ranges of hills, with beautiful 
valleys. The country is a 
source of perpetual wealth to 
agriculture, which yield an im- 
mense surface product. There 
is much to be admired along the 
little creeks diversifying the 
township. The Skippack and 
Indian creeks and the Branch 
creek, which forms the northern 
boundary of the township, drain- 
ing as they do a large area of 
rolling country, improved by 
elegant and commodious resi- 
dences and farm houses, with 
barns and improvements unsur- 
passed by any agricultural 
people on the fiice of the globe. 
The primitive condition of the 
country known as Franconia 
was land timbered with heavy 
oaks, liickory and chestnut. 
The consumption of wood for 
fuel prior to the introduction of 



anthracite and bituminous coal 
was very great. This wealth 
of primature forest was the 
foundation (jf many substantial 
fortunes in years past. The 
old characteristic farmer of 
Franconia took commendable 
pride in maintaining large 
tracts of primature forests. It 
was useful in many ways, for 
fuel, building, fencing, and 
whether it was deemed orna- 
mental or not had a rare charm 
for him. It was their parks of 
woodland that preserved to the 
hunter until late years choice 
games and birds. 

As alredy stated before the 
township of Franconia was orga- 
nized March 1st, 1731, from the 
township of Salford, containing 
952 acres, having a population 
in 1800 of 629, which have in- 
creased by the year 1880 to 
2556. The township in the 
year 1734 having thirty-four 
land -holders, the names are con- 
tained in the previous ]iarts, 
having also two slaves, two 
grist mills, one tannery, 153 



24 



HISTORY OF FRANCONIA TOWNSHIP. 



horses, 266 head of cattle and 
one licensed tavern, that of 
Elizabeth "Gerhart. In 1882 
the number of cattle increased 
to 1147, 515 horses, nine li- 
censed taverns, seven grist mills 
and no slaves. Thus we may 
see how the Franconia farmer 
progressed in the last eighty 
years. What will be our con- 
dition at the end of the future 
eighty years 1 We may not 



live, however, who will live to 
see it may perhaps have a 
greater and sadder history to 
chronicle to the future genera- 
tions than I at the present day. 
We are living in a progressive 
age and advancing year after 
year ; otherwise we are in a 
state of degridation, which 
should prove an end to our 
glorious republic. 



HISTORY OF FRANCONIA TOWNSHIP. 



25 



PART IX. 
NEWSPAPERS AND LODGES. 



The press is a potential fac- 
tor of the country. Local 
newspapers have always been 
received favorably, and at this 
day have a large circulation 
throughout the township. As 
a source of local and general 
information they are valuable, 
and they afford an excellent in- 
dex to the current history of the 
people, Avhose habits, costumes 
and manners are mirrored in 
them, At present there are 
two newspapers published in 
the township. 

The Montgomery County Press 
published in the village of Tel- 
ford, was founded in Norristown 
in 1860, by John Shupe, its 
present editor and proprietor, 
and there published until 1868, 



when it was removed to Lans- 
dale and within a year again 
removed to its present head- 
quarters at Telford. It is a 
German paper and its support 
by the people shows the fond- 
ness of the German people for 
their native language. The 
Souderton Independent was 
founded in that village in 1879, 
b}^ William Goettler, its pres- 
ent editor and proprietor. It 
is a weekly, patent out side, 
with a moderate circulation. 

Secret organizations in Fran- 
ccmia township are not so nu- 
merous. Two secret organiza- 
tions have been established 
within the past year. The 
Patriotic Order of Sons of 
America, is a secret, I'raternnl 



26 



HISTORY OF FRANCONIA TOWNSHIP. 



and beneficial organization, and 
possesses much comment as a 
secret society. The order was 
founded in Liberty hall, Souder- 
ton, iji 1885, in a year hence its 
membership numbered upwards 
of forty. This being the first 
secret organization ever orga- 
nized within the township with 
success. An attempt was made 
to organize an Inedpendent 
Orderof Odd Fellows, inFluck's 
hall, as early as 1882, but soon 
abandonded for want of support. 



An Improved Order of Red 
Men was organized at the same 
place in October, 1885. The 
organization is a paternal and 
benevolent organization, based 
upon the customs and antiquities 
of the American Indians. It 
originated first as a patriotic as- 
sociation among volunteers who 
garrisoned Fort Mifflin in 1813. 
The present order at this place 
has sixty-five meml^ers since its 
organization. 



HISTORY OF FRANCONIA TOWNSHIP. 



27 



PART X. 

EARLY GERMANS. 



Among the various nationali- 
ties that settled Montgomery 
county and our present town- 
ship of Franconia the Germans 
were an important one, and 
their descendants at this day, 
within its limits, are the most 
numerous. Tlie Germans have 
alwaj^s been a most industrious 
and intelligent, as well as a de- 
vout. Christian people. A ma- 
jorit}^ of these early Germans 
Ijecame members of the church 
of Friends. Here in our town- 
ship they became members of 
the Mennonite, Lutheran and 
]\eformed churches. The Ger- 
mans of the Mennonite denomi- 
nation arrived as early as 1702 
and settled at Germantown, and 
years later — 1720 and 17-)0 — 



this denomination of Germans 
settled within our township ; 
most of them coming from the 
Palatinate of the Rhine ; most 
of them having their clergymen 
among them. 

Among the German Luther- 
ans the congregation established 
in New Hanover township is the 
earliest established in America, 
being established in 1703, and 
in 1730 they established a chuch 
in this township known as the 
Indianfield Lutheran church. 
It is stated that the Germans 
who directly immigrated from 
the Palatinate into this colony 
purchased and honestly paid for 
their lands, conducted them- 
selves respectfully towards the 
goveiiiment, paid their taxes 



28 HISTORY OF FlIANCONIA TOWNSHIP. 

readily, and were sober and away so poor that they had to 



honest in their religious and 
civil duties. In 1734 this town- 
ship having a population of 
thirty-four, of which thirty were 
Germans, mostly farmers, ])ut a 
few mechanics resided in the 
township at that time. 

The misfortune of the Palati- 
nate Germans that settled our 
township and county was large- 
ly due to the fact that her geo- 
graphical situation placed her 
})etween powerful rival coun- 
tries that were almost contin- 
iously at war, and the religious 
intolerance of the age was also 
a fruitful source of domestic 
trouble. The people could not 
profess their religious opinions 
as to the dictate of their con- 
science, as to be in agreement 
with their reigning Prince, and 
in consequence were persecuted 
with relentless severit3^ No 
wonder those people were glad 
to get away from a country that 
had such a succession of woes 
and misfortunes. Many had 
lost their property, and came 



indenture themselves for their 
passage money across the sea. 
They niturally chose Pennsyl- 
vania for their new home, l)e- 
cause William Penn had extend- 
ed an earnest welcome, and had 
guaranteed absolute civil relig- 
ious toleration. • This is a part 
of a series of hardships and ca- 
lamities that our forefathers had 
to endure before they establish- 
ed our present homes in a wild 
country. The Germans are 
slow in adopting an opiuion, 
Init they seem to be a great deal 
slower in changing after once 
adopted. During the "wars the 
countries which were strongly 
settled by Germans were looked 
upon as hot beds of disloyalty. 
I mean to be impartial on this 
subject and abide by the truth. 
I must say it is a pride to one 
of German parentage, that at 
least some of the race manifes- 
ted the proper spirit during the 
revolutionary struggle in the 
infancy of the Republic, which 
mav well lead to forgive him 



HISTOllY OF FRANCONIA TOWNSHIP. 29 

the errors of their prosperity in ing the early period of the Re- 



later years. 

The Germans living in this 
county, and others who Avere 
termed wherlos — the Menno- 
nites and Tankers — were gen- 
erally counted Avith the Tories 
during the struggle for indepen- 
dence. The religion would not 
persist them to resist the pre- 
vailing authorities. They were 
even averse in aiding the Amer- 
ican armies with provisions 
while at Valley Forge, and act- 
ually did a great deal to smug- 
gling when the British army 
was in siege at Philadelphia. 
This was one of the reasons why 
the American Congress allowed 
Washington, while at Valley 
Forge, this county, the privilege 
to collect all the provisions 
necessary for his army nmong 
the citizens of Montgomery 
county. However, we do not 
think that any provisions were 
ever collected in this townshij) 
1)V the American armv. Dur- 



public the people termed 
"Wherlos" were disfranchised. 
Through the efforts of John 
Adams they obtained all the 
rights of citizens. Many of 
these people reside in our town- 
ship and are still adhering to 
the "Wherlos" doctrine. In 
early times they belonged to 
the Federalists and naturally in 
latter years affiliated with the 
Republican party, and it follow- 
ed that during the rebellion. 
Though remaining loyal to the 
government they were always 
strongly opposed to slavery. 
Franconia would undoubtedly 
have been a much greater slave 
district had it not been for the 
strong German element, which 
was strongly opposed to slavery. 
Necessity compelled these Ger- 
mans, Welsh and English to 
form settlements by themselves 
owing 
of their languages. 



to the general ignorance 



30 



HISTORY OF FRANCONIA TOWNSHIP. 



PART XI. 

Z()OLO(JY AND MINERALS. 



The history of Fraiiconia is 
not complete without giving a 
short history of the zoology of 
the township. Very little at- 
tention has yet been given in 
our histories to the habitation 
and distribution of our existing 
animals. The existing mama- 
lia within the present limits of 
Franconia it is very probably 
do not exceed thirty-five species, 
of which perhaps half do exist 
at the present day. 

BIEDS 

While perhaps one-third of 
our various species of Ijirds 
have dimmished, we do not 
doul)t that in this county the 
balance are increasing. The 
planting of trees and various 
evergreens in and around lawns, 



lanes and roadsides has largely 
tended to promote their aug- 
mentation, by affording them 
sufficient shelter and security. 
The number of species of birds 
that ever existed in this vicinity 
has been estimated over 200, of 
which numbers have left our 
midst and are still passing 
away, while others are increas- 
ing. The English sparrow, 
which has been introduced 
since 1868, has multiplied rap- 
idly and spread over the whole 
country keeping chiefiy in flocks 
around buildings and have, to 
some extent, driven away some 
of our more useful birds. 

REr TILES. 

The removal of trees and 
stones in the cultivation of the 



HISTORY OF FRANCONIA TOWNSHIP. 
soil, and the increase attention out while diooino; 



given to drainage, has consider- 
able^ to do with diminishing our 
large reptiles, which are Ikvohi- 
ing scarce. The most predom- 
inant at the present day are 
various species of snakes, seve- 
ral species of frogs and a few 
lizzards. 

MINERALS. 

Precious metals have been 
found in the township to some 
extent, but in such small quan- 
tities that the occurrence is 
more of scientific interest than 
of any practical value. Gold 
Avas found by Dr. Charles M. 
Wetherill on the property of 
Mr. Yoder, near Franconia 
Square. The gold was found 
in quartz rock and iron prytes. 
In the sand and gravel thrown 



31 

a well he 
found brilliaid scales of gold. 
From an analysis he found that 
every hundred pounds of gravel 
contained a quantity of gold 
worth twenty-six and a half 
cents. 

Tin, too, has been found in the 
township. It is interesting to 
observe that this rare metal 
is found in its native state of 
purity in the gravel of Franco- 
nia. The largest piece of tin 
found adhered to the gravel and 
formed a rounded mass of a 
white malleable metal, which 
was analyzed and found to be 
pure tin. This metal being 
first noticed by Dr. Charles M. 
Wetherill. This instance is the 
only record of tin in Pennsyl- 
vania. 



32 



HISTORY OF FRANCONTA TOWNSHIP 



PART XII. 

EOADS AND CONVEYANCE. 



As stated in our previous 
histoi y tliat the township of 
Franconia was set apart from 
the township of Salford in 1731 
by the court of quarter sessions, 
on account of beino; to laroe a 
territory, to be served by one 
constable, and for the supervis- 
ion of the public roads, two 
supervisors. 

Tlie first roads, from one new 
settlement to another, were 
simpl y paths through the forests. 
No notice was taken by the 
owner of the unclosed land of 
the use made l)y the few neigh- 
bors of his premises as a road- 
way. After a time, as the 
number of settlers increased, it 
became necessary to place re- 
strictions upon the privilege of 



passing and rejiassing over pri- 
vate property. Petitions were 
accordingly addressed to the 
court of quarter sessions, at 
Pliiladelphia, prayingthat roads 
be laid out for public use. The 
petition for the principle roads 
of the township, running from 
north to south, was presented 
to the court of quarter sessions 
in 1741. This was that of the 
Allentown and Cowpath roads. 
The turnpike road leading 
from Harleysville to Sonde rton 
was chartered and built in 18G6. 
Other roads were laid out from 
time to time as the settlements 
increased. Down to the begin- 
ning of this century much trans- 
portation was done on horse- 
back ; huge sacks, wallets ana 



HISTORY OF FRANCONIA TOWNSHIP 



33 



})asket8 were constructed and 
used for this purpose. In this 
way nearly all the produce was 
taken to Philadelphia, and horse- 
men would thus be seen sur- 
rounded with poultrj^, pork, 
Initter, Hax, etc., and even live 
calves and sheep would be taken 
to market by such means. Old 
and young, male and female 
were usually conveyed on horse- 
])ack ; it mattered not whether 
on business or pleasure, as well 
as to their different places of 
worship on the Sabl)ath. For 
hauling sleds were used previous 
to wagons, the latter l^eing 
rudely constructed, with little 
or no iron, and the wheels were 
generally of solid wood. As 
not much attention was paid to 
roads at that day at intervals 
they became almost impassable. 
A tongue-cart was the first gen- 
eral conveyance to market, and 
as a protector against the 
weather a cover would be stretch- 
ed on hickory boughs. Gigs 



that it was regarded 
usual thing for a woman 



and chairs began to come in 
just before the revolution as a 
vehicle for conveyance on busi- 
ness or pleasure. As these 
were taxable we find in 1785 
but two riding chairs in the 
township of Franconia. This 
demonstrates how much, even a 
century ago, the people were 
addicted together on horseback 
or foot. At this period it is stated 
as no un- 
to go 

on horseback to Philadelphia, a 
distance of thirty miles, to do 
their shopping and return the 
following day. It would cer- 
tainly require a good physical 
constitution for the sex to en- 
dure this now. Of course the 
days for horseback riding is now 
past for either sex, and we have 
the comfortable carriage for 
either l)usiness or pleasure. 
Farmers generallj^ go to mar- 
ket on rail and sell out in a 
large, comfortable market house 
at fair prices. 



84 



HISTORY OF FRANCONTA TOWNSHIP. 



PART ^111. 
MANNERS AND CUSTOMS — SPORTS AND PASTIMES LOCAL SUPERSTITION. 



According to a list of land- 
holders and tenants residing 
within the township, the Ger- 
man element, judging by the 
surnames, composed almost the 
entire population, The several 
townships of the county were, 
however, also settled by the 
Welsh and English. Necessity 
compelled the Germans, the 
Welsh and the English to form 
settlements by themselves, ow- 
ing; to the ignorance of each 
others' language, which preven- 
ted general intercourse. These 
communities were, therefore, 
calculated to preserve and foster 
the peculiar manners and cus- 
tomes of their native country, 
which, after a residence of near- 
ly two centuries here are still. 



to some extent, discernible in 
their discendants. German 
books and newsj^apers still con- 
tinue to be printed for the Ger- 
man people. The Germans 
being numerously spread over 
the townshij) it must necessarily 
follow that their manners and 
customs have exerted here a 
considerable influence on society, 
judging from the increasing ob- 
servance of Christmas. New 
Year's, Good Friday, Easter and 
there circumstances. These 
Germans belong, as they do, to 
several religious" denominations 
have never interdicted these 
holidays, which days, in conse- 
quence, have been more or less 
observed among them after 
the manner of the fatherland 



HISTORY OF FRANCONTA TOWNSHIP. 



35 



unto this day, which were ob- 
served in many cases in a very 
superstitious manner, more so 
in this township than in any 
other, in consequence of being 
so German an origion. 

The custom of levying mar- 
riage toll, we believe, is exclu- 
sively of German origin, as, on 
inquiry as to the matter we 
cannot find that it is practiced 
b}" those of any other descent. 
This practice is still in vogue 
more or less throughout the 
township, but the custom is fast 
disappearing. Wakes or stay- 
ing up with the dead were, to 
some extent, practiced as late 
as 1860 and 1805, being usually 
performed b}^ two or three in- 
vited neighbors. The face of 
the corpse would be uncovered 
every few hours to see whether 
all was right. An apprehension 
prevailed that it might be dis- 
figured by rats or mice, which 
would prove a scandal to the 
funeral and famil3^ Before 
1835 very few hearses were 
used and light wagons little in- 



troduced. On these occasions 
large wagons, with two or four 
horses, would be provided for 
the family, who would sit around 
the coffin on chairs and proceed 
to the place of interment. I 
find stated that in 1844 a fun- 
eral conducted in this manner 
being the last of the kind in 
this township. 

About the close of the last 
century harvest was made a 
jolly time, nearly all went out 
in the field with the sickle to 
cut the waiving grain. A young 
young man would take his place 
beside a young woman and as- 
sist her like a gallant knight in 
her labors. This was before 
the general introduction of the 
cradle, which has been only re- 
cently superceded by the reaping 
and binding machines. Such 
changes have taken place in the 
customs and institutions of so- 
ciety since the formation of 
Franconia township that it can 
hardly be credited at the present 
dav. 

As the country was but 



36 



HISTORY OF FRANCONIA TOWNSHIP. 



sparsely settled every neighbor- 
hood, for want of good roads, 
good accomodations and travel- 
ing fiicilities, formed a commu- 
nity by itself. The hamlet and 
village, even when only a few 
miles apart, caused such a sepe- 
ration as to give to each its pe- 
culiar habits and superstition, 
Of all our German superstition 
undoubtedly witchcraft was the 
most odious, but it never, that 
we are aware of, at any time 
became so abused as to lead to 
any actual evil. No people are 
entirely free from superstition, 
for no mortal man possesses the 
power or even the knowledge 
necessary to draw a line as to 
where it begins or ends. When 
we come to consider the disad- 
vantage our forefathers labored 
under and compare them with 
the facilities Ave now enjoy we 



need not wonder at their hum- 
ble superstitions, which were 
peculiar to the time and circum- 
stances in which they lived. 

From the force and circum- 
stances the early settlers were 
compelled to lead what would 
now be considered a rugged and 
and laborous life. To clear the 
land and brinsi; it under cultiva- 
tion and to provide comfortable 
buildings must have required 
considerable effort. Roads had 
to be opened, streams bridged 
and made passable, and this 
alone could only be accomplish- 
ed by toil. Our ancestors had 
their sports and pastimes to 
vary the monotony of existence, 
though they may have been few 
and rude, yet they were adapt- 
to their condition and no douljt 
gave them pleasure and served 
their aiic. 



HISTORY OF FRANCONIA TOWNSHIP. 



37 



PAF^X XIV. 

PRIVATE BURYING GROUNDS FUHRMAN's GRAVEYARD OTHER NEGLECTED 

GRAVEYARDS. 



In the early times it was cus- 
tomary among the leading fam- 
ilies to bury their dead on the 
form, on a spot set aside for this 
purpose. In the course of time 
the neighbors brought their dead 
for burial in these private 
grounds. A few of these grave- 
yards are maintained in this 
township, others are neglected 
and overgrown with brambles 
and bushes and still others have 
relapsed mto their former uses 
as fields for farming, and traces 
of them are lost. The Fuhr- 
mans graveyard is the largest 
of this kind in the township. It 
contains about one-quarter of an 
acre of ground, taken from two 
adjoining farms. It is an open 



field on the farm of Henry D. 
Wile, several hundred paces 
southwest of the Indian Creek 
Reformed church, The most 
unfortunate affixir connected 
with it is the fate of the grave- 
yard, in which, no doubt, inter- 
ments have been made as early 
as 1725, and which w^as actual- 
ly used for this purpose until 
1T90 ; some have estimated 
that within that period from one 
hundred and fifty to two hun- 
dred ma}' have been buried 
there ; the headstones yet trace- 
able, are all common stones, 
about half of the number have 
letters and dates. On a visit to 
this graveyard we copied the 
following : In memorv of George 



38 HISTORY OF FllANCONIA TOWNSHIP 

Liidwig Hange, born October taiiily teaches 
2Gth, 1696, died 1769, aged 
73 years ; the rest of the stones 
having no regular epitaph, hav- 
ing only letters, few having 
dates in the following manner : 
I. A. H. T., 1766; .S. B. H., 
1747; C. H., 1790; I. F. M., 
1763; A. D., 1758; E. H., 
1788; M. L., F. M. andK. M., 
these are all having marks of 
inscription, the rest are only 
rude stone. The farm where 
this graveyard is situated is 
owned by Henry D. Wile, pur- 
chased from his father, William, 
and since it has been reduced to 
one-half its former size. Year 
after year the plow is approach- 
ing nearer, which makes us be- 
lieve that the time will not be 
long hence when the entire 
graveyard will be under culti- 
vation, and the existance of the 
same can scarcely be pointed out. 
The tradition is that some of 
the headstones have gone to the 
wash gullies and covered over 
likely to be revealed some da}^ 
The fate of this graveyard cer- 



a humilitating 
lesson on human avarice. Had 
it not been the resting place of 
our lovely forefathers, the pio- 
neers of the township, the deso- 
lation of the same would not 
sink so deep on the mind of the 
present generation. Indeed, on 
our recent visit to the neglected 
graveyard, looking over the 
ruins and desolation, we were 
so moved that we sat down and 
wrote the following lines to ex- 
press our deep regret. 

Far up the lonely Indian Creek. 

My wondering footsteps led, 
The moss grew thick beneath my feet, 

The wind moaned o'er my head. 
The traces of a graveyard old 

Were plainly to be seen, 
Surely some weary pilgrim soul, 

Is here at peace I ween. 

The bramble bushes and the weed. 

Lay thick upon a mound. 
The headboard where the name we read, 

Had rotted to the ground. 
No flower e'er had been planted there. 

No loved ones knew the place. 
No marble slabs or granite rare, 

This lonely mound did grace. 

I raised the headboard with my hand, 

From dust its words made clear, 
It read "The Settlers of Our Land," 



HISTOllY OF FRANCONIA TOWNSHIP. 



3!) 



"Franconia's Pioneer." 
The rest was blurred with rust and age, 

Long years had worked their rot ; 
But fame that's writ on history's page, 

Long years can never blot. 
Roll on, proud Lidian Creek, roll on, 

Adown the stony glen ; 
Above thee in the shadows lone, 

Sleep brave, undaunted men. 
No brutal foes, no bloody wars. 

Our Christian people fear. 
For thou hast made our pathway smooth? 

'•Franconia's Pioneer." 

The condition and situation 
of this old graveyard is well ex- 
pressed by the above lines. The 
remaining spot is thickly cover- 
ed with trees and thicket ; the 
walk to the place must be made 
across the fields ; the Indian 
creek, too, is below near its 
base, the same as it had when 
the first interment was made, 
probably a hundred and fifty 
years ago. 

Tradition states that a place 
in the meadow of Samuel Mus- 
selman, in the western part of 
the township, near the Indian 
creek, was formerly occupied 
with graves. There are no 
stones there at the present day. 
The mounds, however, are ob- 



served by the uneavenness of 
the <>round. Tradition states 
that it was here that Christian 
Funk was buried. Funk, it is 
stated, lived half a year alone 
in the township on the f^irm 
now owned by Isaac C. Godshall 
and where he was hurried is un- 
known, at least, not more than 
what tradition states, which, in 
matters like these, is sometimes 
very wrong. 

There was also a private 
bur3dng ground at the grave- 
yard connected with the religious 
edifice, so-called Herrite house, 
also situated in the western part 
of the township, near the Indian 
creek. The history of this edi- 
fice and graveyard will be given 
in another part seperately. This 
house was only built at the side 
of this grave yard in later 3'ears, 
which is the reason that this 
graveyard is maintained at the 
presentday, otherwise the grave- 
yard would |)robably have been 
neglected and laid to waste the 
same as the rest in the town- 
ship. 

There was another private 



40 



HISTORY OF FRANCONIA TOWNSHIP. 



burying ground, called the Har- 
ley's burying ground, situated 
on the pike leading from Har- 
leysville to Souderton. It was 
commenced by Rudolph Harley, 
in 1746. One tombstone we 
found bears the date of 1758. 



On this lot a frame house was 
erected by the Dunkards in 
1843, in which worship is held 
on alternate Sundays. The 
history of this burying ground 
and meeting house will also be 
given in another part. 



HISTORY OF FllANCONIA TOWNSHIP. 



41 



PART XV. 

ACCOUNTS OF THE POOR OF THE TOWNSHIP. 



From the township book, 
dated March 25, 1766, we 
copied some accomits which 
will be of interest. It will, 
however, be observed by aglance 
over this book, where the yearly 
accounts of the "overseers of 
the Poor" were kept, that in 
the early settlement of the 
coimtry very little appears to 
have been done for the support 
of the poor The population 
was sparse, labor was in demand 
on every side, and necessities 
of the people were limited to 
such few absolute requirements 
that pauperism could scarcely 
be said to exist, which, of course, 
is quite different from the pres- 
ent, when we think pauperism 
has reached its highest point. 



The society of Friends, the 
Mennonites and the Dunkards 
have invariably supported their 
own unfortunate poor to the 
present time, which, however, 
seems to become more of a bur- 
den every day to these few de- 
nominations. 

During the whole colonial 
period, down to the erection of 
a house for the support and 
employment of the poor, they 
were maintained by their re- 
spective township or district. 
For this purpose two overseers 
were appointed for each dis- 
trict by the judges of the 
county courts. Their duties 
were to secure for those com- 
mitted to their charge homes 
and employment at the most 



42 



HISTORY OF FRANCONIA TOWNSHIP. 



favorable rates. An act was 
passed in 1771 that provided for 
two overseers in every town- 
ship by the justices at a special 
meeting to be held every year. 
The expenses incurred in pro- 
viding subsistence, shelter and 
employment for those whom 
misfortune had rendered a bur- 
den to society was to be suppli- 
ed by the regular county rate. 
The overseers were responsible 
for the collection of the amount 
assessed and were required to 
pay over the money in their 
possession. A record was kept 
of the poor and an order of the 
justice of the peace was neces- 
sary to be admitted to the list 
before assistance could be fur- 
nished. All those having near 
relations w^ho were paupers, 
were compelled to support them, 
if their circumstances enabled 
them to do so. Among the 
duties of the overseers were 
supplying the immediate wants 
of families reduced to poverty, 
and in case of death to give them 
a decent burial. Those that 



could work were kept on a farm 
among the farmers. On the 
formation of the county and 
prior the justices of the court 
made the following appoint- 
ments for overseers of the poor 
of the township, which, how- 
ever, docs not embrace all since 
the incorporation of the town- 
ship, 1731. They are recorded 
in the township book in the fol- 
lowing manner : In 1769 James 
Rol^ison and Jacob Hacman, in 
1779 Michael Shoemaker and 
Jacob Leite, Sr., in 1785 again 
Michael Shoemaker and Jacob 
Leite, Sr., both resigned, and in 
their stead Jacob Leidy, Jr., 
and Yelles Landis were appoint- 
ed ; in 1788 Christian Chres- 
man and Yellis Landes, in 1790 
Abraham Nice and Jacob Hen- 
gen, in 1794 Martin Dethwiler 
and Henry Siple, in 1796 John 
Dethwiler and John Swartley, 
in 1799 Christian Moyer and 
Andrew Shwartz,in 1801 George 
Shneider and Abraham Rosen- 
berger, in 1802 James Zohem 
and John Wilson, in 1803 Chris- 



HISTORY OF FRA.NCOMA TOWNSHIP 



43 



tinn Hunsberger, Sr., and Chris- 
tian Hunsberger Taylor, in 1804 
Tol)ias Sholl and Henry Landes, 
in 1805 Abraham Delb and 
Jacob Swartley, 1806 John Alt- 
hous and John Sahler, in 1807 
John Bergey and Isaac Mover. 
From this date on the overseers 
of the poor were notified by the 
directors of the poor house, 
which was established from acts 
of the State Legislature, to be 
present at the poor house in or- 
der to receive the paupers of 
the township, with their goods, 
to be valued by two persons ap- 
pointed for that purpose. The 
sul)ject of providing a house and 
home of employment of the 
poor, instead of the former 
method of having them Avorkine; 
or boarding around with those 
who would consent to recieve 
them, began to recieve attention 
soon after the formation of the 
county (1785). The first move 
in this direction was the holding 
of a public meeting at the house 
of John Davis, in Norristown, 
January 23, 1801, when all the 



overseers of the respective town- 
ships were to be present, on the 
the expediency of petitioning 
the Legislature of the State for 
the privilege of building a poor 
house, for the use and benefit 
of the destitute of Montgomery 
county. But litt'e was done in 
the county on this point until 
March 10th, 1806, when an act 
was passed authorizing the pur- 
chase of a farm and to erect 
thereon suitable buildings for 
the purpose by the county. 
Subsequent acts were passed 
January 26, 1807 and Decem- 
ber 22, 1806. The h«.use was 
not ready for the count}^ until 
1808, when the directors notified 
the overseers of the poor of the 
respective townships of the 
county, as stated before, to di- 
rect the poor with their goods 
to the newly erected poor house. 
Isaac Moyer and John Bergey 
were overseers of the poor of 
Franconia township at that date 
and they at once removed their 
poor to the new poor house on 
the Schuylkill- We, however, 



44 



HISTORY OF FRANCONIA TOWNSHIP. 



found that at this time only a 
single individual was maintained 
by the township, and this being 
a girl. In the township book, 
where the auditors kept their 
yearly accounts of the overseers 
of the poor of the township of 
Franconia, we clipped the fol- 
lowing : 

"March 20, 1807. 

We, the subscribers, as free- 
holders of Franconia township, 
who, being auditors chosen by 
the townshijD aforesaid, for 
making settlement for the en- 
suing year of the last overseers 
of the poor, namely, John 
Sahler and John Althous, that 
they have to pay for supporting 
a young girl twenty pounds, and 
balance in hand which they 
have to pay to the new over- 
seers, John Berkey and Isaac 
Moyer, two pounds, nine shil- 
lings and six pence." 

Testes : 

Michael Shoemaker. 
Captain Summers. 

John Bergey and Isaac Moyer 
being next overseers they re- 



ceived the balance in the treas- 
ury, which they, during their 
term, together with the poor 
girl maintained by them, hand- 
ed over to the poor house erec- 
ted for this purpose. Thus 
ended the maintaining of the 
poor in this townhip. From 
this time on a tax was levied on 
the freeholders of the townships 
of the county for the mainte- 
nance of the poor of the county, 
which is the practice yet to the 
present day. 

We here give place to another 
xVuditors' account as set down 
in the township book : 

Philadelphia, > 
March 25, 1768. ] 

To cash the overseers reciev- 
ed of the previous overseers five 
pounds, ten shillings and six 
and one-half pence. By cash 
they paid for the burying of a 
poor person two pounds, seven- 
teen shillings and eight pence. 
Examined this account and find 
a balance of two pounds twelve 
shillings and ten pence, which 
is ordered to ])e paid to the sue- 



HISTORY OF FRANC 

ceeding overseers, which are 
Jacob Debtwhiler and George 
Stump. 

Testes : 

Sam G. Mifflin, 
Geo. Bryant, 
Jacob Hall. 

Below this auditors' notice 
the following note is written : 
"In 1767 the township of Fran- 
conia had no poor." The follow- 
ing shows the amount expended 
])y the township of Franconia 
for the maintenance of the poor 
in the township in every decade 
often years: In 1766, seven- 
teen pounds, sixteen shillings 
and nine pence ; in 1777, six- 
teen pounds and two pence ; in 
1786, thirty-nine pounds; in 
1796, twenty-six pounds and 
two pence ; in 1806 the auditors 
made the following settlement 
of the overseers of the poor of 
the township : 

March 18, 1806. 

We, the subscribers, as free- 
holders of the township of 
Franconia township as auditors 
for making settlement for tlie 



ONIA TOWNSHIP. 45 

ensuing year of the last over- 
seers of the poor, namely, 
Abrahaui Delb and Jacob 
Swartley, and found that they 
have paid for supporting the 
poor of the towTiship, and ex- 
penses did come to twenty-five 
pounds 16 shillings and eight 
pence. Balance in hand which 
they have to pay to the over- 
seers, John Althouse and John 
Shaler, which is five pounds and 
fourteen shillings. 
Testes : 

Michael Shoemaker, 

John Gerhart, 

Auditors. 
Thus we see that the expense 
for maintaining the poor in the 
township a hundred years ago 
wxre only trifling in proportion 
to the present, but it is evident 
that pauperism among us is in- 
creasing in spite of the great 
diminution taking place in the 
use of intoxicating liquors and 
the considerable increase of im- 
igration, which must be admit- 
ted that a great number are ini- 
provid(>nt paupers. 



46 



HISTORY OF FEANCONIA TOWNSHIP. 



The expenses for maintaining 
the present poor house are met 
by funds raised from taxes 
levied by the county commis- 



sioners on requisition of the 
directors of the poor house, and 
through their order paid by the 
county treasurer. 



HISTORY OF FllANCONIA TOWNSHIP. 



47 



r^ARX :kvi. 

THE LUTHERAN COXOREGATION, 



In our pre\'iouR parts we 
treated upon religion of the 
township, in this part we desire 
to give the entire history of the 
churches and burying grounds 
within the limits of the town- 
ship. To meet this want we 
were furni.shed with the neces- 
sary papers of the various con- 
gregations. The early settlers 
were, with few exceptions, Ger- 
mans, who were in many cases 
driven hither by. the scourging 
wars, and religious persecutions 
then raging in Europe. Being- 
pious men and women they soon 
formed themselves into religious 
societies, which I am now to 
treat, as they settled within our 
limits. The Indianfield Luther- 
an Church, as stated in our 



previous j)arts, was the first re- 
ligious edifice in the township, 
and undoubtedly the Lutherans 
comprised the greater part of 
the earlier settlers, but they do 
not at the present time, how- 
ever, comprise more than one- 
third of the population, the 
Mennonites are fully up to their 
present membership. However, 
the Lutheran is the most num- 
erous denomination in jMont- 
gomery county, having twenty- 
five houses of worship in 1870, 
probably more now. Most of 
their ancestors came from the 
German nations of Central 
Europe between 1710 and 1770. 
Like most of our early settlers, 
they were refugees from relig- 
ious disabilities in the Old 



48 HISTORY OF FRANCONIA TOWNSHIP. 

World, bringing a sterling fliith ducting them into 



and domestic habits with them. 
From the date of the founding 
of their mother churches, the 
Old Goschenhoppen and St. 
Augustus, Trappe, their emmi- 
gration and settlement must 
have been large and rapid dur- 
ing the period name.d. As Gor- 
don in his "Gazetteer" of 1832 
puts down the Lutheran 
churches of Montgomery at 
eight, wdiich were increased as 
above stated. This denomina- 
tion has undergone fewer 
changes by transplanting from 
Europe to America, and has 
been less rent l)y schisms and 
disagreements among themselves 
than any other. Some years 
ago a few of their congregations 
held "protracted meetings," but 
none do so at present in this 
county. Like most denomina- 
tions, the Lutherans have an or- 
ganization to promote church 
extentions, and it is found their 
great increase to be due to the 
practice of regularly catechising 
the youth at proper age and in- 



the church 
fellowship l)y rite of confirma- 
tion. The efficiency of this 
mode of keeping up church 
membership leads some to con- 
clude that it is a better method 
than that in vogue of "disci- 
pling" the people by protracted 
meetings as an adjunct of Sab- 
bath school instructions. The 
advocates of the latter system 
allege that religion learned in 
the former mode only fills the 
head, while the heart or affec- 
tions are unreached by it. The 
Indianfield Lutheran church, of 
which w^e are now going to treat 
is one of the oldest Lutheran 
congregations in Pennsjdvania, 
and was from the beginning; en- 
tirely Lutheran. A log church 
was built in 1730, the first re- 
ligious edifi<;e in the township, 
enlarged in 17GG, and rebuilt in 
1792, and gave place to the 
present stone church, which, in 
1868, received, for the third 
time, a new roof of slate, being 
repaired again in 1881. The 
building committee composed of 



HISTORY OK F11AN(^0NIA TOWNSHIP. 



49 



J. B. Wampole, J. Benner an:l 
R. 11. Cressman. The ground 
plan of the present chun-h is of 
rectangle in form, with a length 
of 54 feet focing southeast and 
the end facin"' northeast 40 feet. 
It is one story high and is al)()ut 
twenty feet to the ceiling. 

The building is graced with 
an elegant tower ninety-five feet 
in height. The architecture 
is the work of Jonathan B. 
Wolf, of Telford, and presents 
quite a model of architecture. 
The interior is filled up most 
admirably and the decorations 
an' I paintings being fine work of 
art, and contains a gallery on 
three sides, which is refitted on 
one side with a celebrated pipe 
organ secured in 1820, and there 
l)eing cimnected with the church 
at various times a good choir 
and at the present needs no 
commend. 

There was a school house situ- 
ated near this church in early 
times, which was abandoned 
and afterwards refitted for the 
janitor of the (dmrch. It was 



George Smith who lived last in 
this school house, when at the 
time, in 18o4, it was cxmsumed 
l)y fire. It was here that many 
of the early church records were 
destroyed. The creation of a 
congregation in Sellersville took 
away man}^ members, but were 
still in 1885 over 200 commu- 
nicants. As a part of the Gos- 
chenhoppen charge it has been 
since 1752 connected with the 
ministerium of Pennsylvania. 
The present constitution was 
adopted in 1836, and tl>e exist- 
ino- church record was begun in 
1753 by Pastor Frederick 
Schultz. The earliest Pastor 
known was John Conrad Andrea, 
who came to this country in 
1742 from Zweibreucken, land- 
ed in Philadelphia and settled 
in Goschenh()p[)en. He assumed 
charge of the Goschenhoppen, 
New Goschenhoppen and Indian- 
field churches, where he re- 
mained until 1751. In that 
year Lucas Ilaus began services 
as catechet under Pastor II. M. 
Muhlenbero's direction. He 



riioxvjxiA \jv r jixivi> VA^i> JLxi. i\j»\i\oriir. 



closed his servicer in 1752, 
when the Rev.^ Frederick 
Schultz became pastor and serv- 
ed until 1763, when Rev. Joseph 
Roth succeeded him ; from 
1758 to 1770 Rev. John Michael 
Enterlein was pastor, from 1770 
to 1795 Rev. Conrad Reller, 
Rev. Frederick Geisenhainer, 
1795 to 1797 ; Rev. George 
Reller, son of Conrad, 1797 to 
1840 ; Rev. EnglebriohtPeixto, 
1840 to 1864 ; Rev. Frederick 
Waltz from 1865 to the present 
day. The congregation was 
originally formed by the Rev. 
J. Conrad Andrea, an expelled 
LutheVan Clergyman in Ger- 
many, who, without any recom- 
mendation, so insinuated him- 
self into their confidence that he 
became their pastor, but who 
was soon afterward discharged 
for immoral conduct. The first 
regular Lutheran minister was 
the Rev, Lucas Rnus, who 
preached two years to the con- 
gregation. 

The graveyard is an ancient 
one and an object of much in- 



terest ; since the organization of 
the church (1730), no doubt, 
1500 may have been buried 
here. To meet the increasing 
demand for space for bur3'ing 
the gravej^^ard has been enlarg- 
ed again and again, and at this 
writing (1886) the congregation 
again enlarged their burying 
grounds by purchasing a tract 
of land of Tobias Wile, for $300. 
On a visit to this graveyard w^e 
copied some very old dates 
from headstones. We think, 
however, that the very oldest 
buried here bear no dates or in- 
scriptions at all, at least, we 
find many of this kind. Most 
grave stones of this kind have 
sunk in the ground and are al- 
most invisible. Some of the 
earliest buried here which are 
marked with stones having let- 
ters and figures arc M. Conrad, 
1769; S. Cressman, 1767; H. 
R., 1790; Sn. Do., 1771; II. 
E. N. M., 1777; I. F., 1776; 
A. B. 1776; S. H. 1768; we 
also copied the following sur- 
names: Ra.rndt, Nace, Cressman, 



HISTORY OF FRANCONTA TOWNSHIP. 51 



Herman, Kramer, Keller, Still- 
wagon, Wamljold, King, Geliman, 
Dannehower, Bilger, Soucler, 
Frederick, Gerhart, Badman, 
Bitter, Haens, Musselman, Beltz, 
Bosenberger, Kober,Beller,Ben- 
ner, Kratz, Herr and Conrad. 
We also find here the grave of 
Pa.stor John George Beller, 
whose tomb is marked with 
a flag stone. Bev. J. G. Beller 
was pastor of the congregation 
forty-three years. 

At the present writing the 
congregation has purchased a 
tract of land from Tobias Wile, 
for $300, and has been laid out 
into convenient lots for a ceme- 



tery. On a visit to the place 
while the work was in progress 
we had reason to believe that, 
when finished, the cemetery will 
be one of the grandest and l)est 
arranged cemeteries in Mont- 
gomery county. 

Tlie janitor's house connected 
with the church was built in 
1834. The present incubent 
is David Cressman. We are 
proud to state, on inquiry as to 
the unity of this congregation, 
that harmony prevailed from 
the beginning to the present 
day and religious unity Avas 
maintained in ireneral. 



52 



TITSTORY OP FUANCONIA TOWNSHIP. 



REFORMED Cllinuni- 
BURYING GROUND- 



PART ^VII. 

DOCTRINE INDIAN CREEK REFORMED CHURCH ITS 

-LEIDY's reformed church ITS BURYINC, GROUND. 



(Joiiteinporaneous with Liith- 
oran.s, the old "German lle- 
Coniied," or "German Presby- 
terians," came to our country 
from different parts of Germany, 
they only difFerin<i- from their 
countrjanen as Zwingie and 
Calvin disagreed from Luther 
about some non-essential doc- 
trine, and the proper form of 
church Government. They 
were stern defenders of the Holy 
Scriptures as the sole rule of 
faith and as the perpetuity of the 
Sabbath as a day of divine a|)- 
pointment. The lieformed de- 
nomination in Pemisylvania 
gathered congregations as rap- 
idly as the Lutherans. Gordon 
in his "Gazetteer" of 1 802 sets 
down the ninnber of lleformed 



congregations in Montgomery 
county at seven, which by 1870 
had increased to nineteen, in 
1880 to twenty-three and in 
1880 to twenty-five congrega- 
tions. This church has suffered 
more from schismatic influence 
than the Lutherans, though no 
serious open rupture has ever 
taken place, but rather disa- 
greements, mainly consisting of 
old and new views of theology 
and old and new measures, such 
as protracted, night and prayer 
meetings for the promotion of 
vivals. One thing in our church 
history stands to the credit of 
both Lutherans and Ilefoimel 
in the colonial age and even 
down to the present day, that 
thev fr;)terni'/ed in l)uilding 



IIISTOUV OF FRAN(X)NIA TOWNSHIP. 



58 



lioui^es of worship, which, for 
more than a century, in nuiny 
cases, have been occupied joint- 
ly and alternately l)y both de- 
nomination. That is amity in 
dissent, a wholesome lesson to 
adjacent sects to live peacefully 
with each other. As wealth 
nnd more frequent worship have 
afforded the means and oppor- 
tunity in recent years, however, 
the desire arose for seperate 
buildini^s. So nearly all these 
union churches have divided, 
and, in most cases, one or the 
other erected new buildings. 
However, to our knowledge, 
there was none of the kind in 
our township except when one 
house or another was undergo- 
in"" changes. The greatest dis- 
quietness in all our churches of 
the various denominations 
throuiihout the German section 



conia the services were always 
conducted in German, with the 
exception of late, when Engli.vh 
services are held on alternate 
Sunday evenings in the Indian 
Creek Reformed church by Rev. 
Kehm. Attempts <jf alterations 
of the German language has 
always been resisted by the 
elder members of the upper 
churches. Sunday schools, too, 
which seemed inovations upon 
old customs, was for a while re- 
sisted })y elder mend:)ers until 
recently, when Sunday schools 
were organized in almost every 
church, and in some cases 
special houses were built. 

There are two Reformed 
churches in the township — the 
Indian Creek and the one called 
the Leidy's or Emanuel's Re- 
formed church. The Indian 
Creek Reformed church is the 



is the elapsing of the German oldest, is located about one mile 

west of Telord cm the Indian 
creek, and was founded in IT-)-) 
bv Rev. Jacob Reese, who wi\s 
its first pastor, began his labors 
June od, in that year, .\uiong 



tongue and the introducticm of 
the English to accomodate the 
new generation, who rather 
prefer the latter language. In 
our German township of Fran- 



54 



HISTORY OF FRANCONIA TOWxNSHIP. 



the founders of the church were 
John Nice, Jacob Arndt, Peter 
Gerhart, Jacob Leidy, John 
Shellenberger, John Sellers, 
William Althouse and Abraham 
Arndt. With the exception of 
Arndt these family names are 
all presented in the congrega- 
tion at present. In 1754 the 
present church lot was purchas- 
ed of Michael Berra, and in that 
year a log church was erected. 
This was replaced in 177G by a 
rough stone church, with a hip 
roof, which was used until 182G, 
when the third, 4ox4S, also of 
stone was built. This being a 
large and substantial church, 
having walls two feet thick, and 
the interior was well finished 
with a gallery on three sides. 
The present church, 42x65 feet, 
wasbuilt in 1879, of brick. The 
building committee composed of 
Andrew Plartzell, Martin Shipe 
and Henry C. Hartzell. The 
cost of building the same was 
upwards of $11,000. This 
churcli has three corner stones, 
two of which were altered from 



the previous buildings, how^ever, 
this being the fourth church 
probably the first, the log 
church, did not contain a corner 
stone. The building is sur- 
mounted to the height of 115 
feet, containing a metalic bell 
weighing 1500 pounds, cast in 
Philadelphia, to call together its 
worshippers, and toll for the 
sorrowing, who bury their dead, 
and whose tombstones are fast 
whitening the capacious ground 
upon which they are planted. 
The church was dedicated to 
the congregation in 1880. The 
basement is used for Sunday 
school purposes. It was here 
that a Sunday school was orga- 
nized as early as 18G8. This 
Sunday school connected with 
the church at times being pros- 
perous until of late when Sun- 
day schools were organized in 
the neighboring villages, and 
this one had to be abandoned 
for w^aiit of support. The in- 
tei'ior of the church is fitted up 
most elegantly, with frescoed 
walls. The gallery is graced 



HISTORY OF F11AN(X)N1A TOWNSin]\ r)5 

with a large pi[)e organ securod Fuhrman, 1708 ; Micliaol Ilart- 



in 18G5. The exterior, too, 
[)i"eseiits (juite n model of archi- 
tecture. At the spot where the 
present church stands formerly 
stood ail old log school house, at 
least tradition states so, prior 
to the log cluirch. An old 
member of this congregation in- 
formed me that at the time of 
this log church the Indians were 
still plenty throughout the In- 
dian creek valley, also that the 
old log church contained no 
chimney. At that time fire 
was unknown in churches, and 
the Hoor being laid with bricks. 
The graveyard here is an old 
one and it may be expected that 
many have been buried in it, 
as it has undoubtedly been used 
for more than 130 years and 
being situated in such a ])opu- 
lous section. On a visit to the 
grave yard we copied the follow- 
ing from the tombstones, which 
we think are among the oldest : 
Hannes Fuhrman, 1798; George 
Geir, 1767; John Frederick, 
17G4 ; Reib Sellers, 170'.); John 



zell, 17S4; M. B. 11., 17G0; 
Chr. PI., 17G1 ; Frederick 
Weil, 17(»7. There are also 
many tombstones that have no 
date at all, and probably some 
that were hurried here still 
earlier than the above named. 
We al.so found close to the 
church a stone that was engraved 
in the following manner : "In 
memory of Heinrich Hartzell, 
wife and two children, who emi- 
grated from the Palatinate in 
1727, being the first settlers in 
Rockhill township, died at an 
advanced age." It is also here 
where Rev. Jacob Lenn is 
buried. On his tombstcme we 
found the following : "To the 
memory of Rev. Jacob Lenn, 
wdio was born January 4, 1774, 
departed this life January 18, 
1818, aged forty -three years, 
was minister of the Reformed 
churches in Sussix, Ilardwick 
and Noll town four years, and at 
Dohickon, Indianfield and 
Swamp nineteen years." His 
wife, too, is })urried at his side 



56 



HISTORY OF FllANCONlA TOWNSHIP. 



died October 30, 1872, aged 
ninety-one years. The follow- 
ing family names we copied in 
addition to those already named 
and are inserted here for the 
use and ])enefit geanologist, 
who may desire to secure ac- 
tional information in this direc- 
tion : Gerhart, Scholl, Moyer, 
Strausberger, Cressman, Steiner, 
Benner, Anchy, Sansel, Troxel, 
Sleifer, Kehm, Bauman, Shive, 
Sellers, Barndt, Ott, Wack, 
Bilger, Hilgerd, Kraft, Huber, 
Hendricks, Hengey, Henig, 
Raudenbush, Kooker, Fluck, 
Bealer, Slutter, Dorn, Ziegler, 
Trumbauer, Wile, Frantz, Lenn, 
and others. Necessity has com- 
pelled them to enlarge the 
graveyard again and again, and 
contains now more than two 
acres, enclosed with a substan- 
tial wall, and the yard is sur- 
rounded with shade trees. 
Here, too, are sheds on all sides 
for the protection of horses from 
the inclemency of weather dur- 
ing all seasons. 

leidy's reformed church. 



What is known as Leidy's 
lleformed church, later Eman- 
uel's Reformed church, is lo- 
cated below Souderton, and was 
built in 1858. A school house 
and a graveyard was there over 
a hundred years ago. The 
school house was used for public 
worship until it was desired by 
the neighborhood to build a 
house adapted for that purpose, 
Its members are from the In- 
dian Creek Reformed church, 
of which it was for a time a part. 
Its pastors have been Rev. P. 
S Fisher and J. G. Dengler, 
the hitter of whom is still in 
charge. Previous to those 
named there being no regular 
installed ministers. Worship 
was held on alternate times. 
The church is situated on an 
elevated tract of land and 
affords a beautiful glimpse of 
country life. In the jnvd, too, 
on all sides have l^een planted 
maple trees for shade. 

The grave yard is an old one. 
On a recent visit to this l)ury- 
ing ground we noticed quite a 



HISTORY OF FRANCONIA TOWNSHIP. 57 

tombstones that Wack slumbers beneath the sod 



number of 
have been placed there between 
the years 1760 and 1780. We 
have copied the following sur- 
names and are inserted here for 
the use of the geanologist : 
Leidy, Scholl, Fluck, Beidler, 
Weiss, Slifer, Snyder, Schnabel, 
riolzapple, Oberholzer, Kinsey, 
Yocum, Nace, Nice, Klein, 
Wack, Hunsberger, 8chwenk, 
Shellenberger, Miller, Bauer, 
Bernd, Eaten, Cressman, 
Weaver, Althouse, Bair, Kulp, 
Conver^ Hagey, Garis, Rosen - 
berger. Winter, Ratzell, Reed, 
Delp, Goettler, Sheib, Bitting, 
Mover, Cope, Lane, Zane, Rudy, 
Bloom, Landis, Worman, Lever, 
Robartaux, Savalcool, Mayers 
and others. We have found in 
in this graveyard more old 
.stones bearing dates and without 
dates than in any other bind- 
ing ground in the township. 
We judged the number buried 
here probably two thousand 
together with the more recent 
buried. 

The remains of Rev. Casper 



of this graveyard, from his 
tombstone we have ( copied the 
following: Sacred to the mem- 
ory of Rev. Casper Wack, who 
departed this life the 17th of 
July, 1839, aged eighty-seven 
years. 

And is your pa-stor <,'one : 

Is he no more tliat liviniji' truth 

That we have seen l)efore. 

lie is ji^one, he's past the ffloomy shade of 

ni<;ht, 
Safe landed in eternal realms of lioht. 
IIapi)y exchange, to part with all below for 

worlds of bliss wheie joy unfadin" 

How; 
Triumi)hin<;- in his friend, who will be yours 
If you pursue the i)ath he oft taught to 

you. 

His wife, Barbara Wack, is 
buried by his side, aged eighty- 
six years. Their graves are 
marked with a tiagstone. The* 
old grave yard is enclosed with 
a substantial stone wall. There 
is also a. cemetery connected 
with the church which has been 
recently opened, is situate on 
elevated ground, arranged and 
divided in convenient lots and 
enclosed with a board fence. A 
num))er of interments have 
already been made, and quite 
a number of lots are enclosed 
with iron fences. 



58 



niSTORY OF FIIANCONIA TOWNSHIP. 



PART r<:viii. 



DUNKAUDS OR GERMAN IJAPTISTe THEIR TRINCIl'LES EMIGRATION TO 

PENNSYLVANIA THEIR HOUSE OF WORSHIP BURYING GROUND. 



Nearly sinmltaneous and intt'i- 
mixed with the Mennonite emi- 
gration came the German Bap- 
tists, who had been stigmatized 
and persecuted in Germany 
under the name of "Anahab- 
tists"(rebaptisers). Tliey were 
a very pious and devoted people 
differing little from the Menno- 
nites, except in the rite of bap- 
tism, which, with them, is 
always administered by what is 
called "triune immersion," the 
penitent being dipped three 
times, -lace downward, in the 
name of the Trinity, hence 
the appellation Dunkards 
(dippers). They differ from 
Mennonites also in strictl\- 
observing feet washing and 
the love-feast, a sort of sim- 



ple supper of plain food, to tes- 
tify brotherly unity and love. 
They also differ from the Men- 
nonites in this part of the coun- 
try in holding revival meetings 
after the manner of English 
speaking Baptists. In common 
with all denominations bearing; 
the name of Baptist, they utter- 
ly reject infant baptism as un- 
scriptural. The Bible is their 
only creed. There was pul)- 
lished in a weekly newspaper 
an article on the Dunkards, 
whi(ih Avas certainly a very read- 
able and interesting article, 
where, among other things, it is 
stated that the term "Dunkard" 
is used indiscriminately for sev- 
eral denominations of a kindred 
nature. The proper term of the 



IITSTORV OK FllANCONTA TOWXSIIir. T)!* 

sect is (JtM'iiiiUi l^iiptiist or (Iri)ve them thence; some to 
Ih'i'thriMi, htiviiiii,- assumed the Holland and s;)me to ('j'efelt. 
lattei" name for thi'mscdxes, on Soon after the mother church 
account of what Christ said to voluntarily removed from 
his disci])les, "One is your mas- vSchwartzenan to Serusterviii, in 
tei', even Christ, and all ye are Freisland, and from thence emi- 
hrethren." They originated in grated to America in 1710. In 
Schwartzenan, in the year 1708, 1720 the Brethren of Crefelt 
in (Jermany. The first constit- followed. As to their principles 
ucnts were eight neigh hors, six they believed that they should 
men and two women, "who do what the Bi1)le says and not 
agreed to read the Bible in com- what it might mean. They 
pany.'' They desired Alexau- preserve their ancient customs, 
der Mack as their minister to their lives are singularly pure 
b.iptise thejn, l)ut he deeming and unselfish. They recently 
liimself in reality unbaptised re- established a college in tlie\yest, 
Cised; ui)on which thi'y ca.st which cont lins a large portion 
lots t'> find out who should be of the remarkai)le library of A. 
thea<lministra,tor of the ])aptism. H. (Jassel, of tlie sister township 
On whom the lot tell was care- Saiford, boing a noted aiiti(pia- 
lidly concealed. They were rian and a Dnnkard. The cen- 
baptised in the I'ivei- Kder, and sus of 1870 i)laces the number 
then formed themselves into a. of their congregations or houses 
church, choosing Alexander of worship at nine. 'IMiey ar<' 
Mack astheir minister. They in- located prin(Ui)ally a'ong the 
creased rapidly ami had congre- Perkiomcn and its tributaries. 
galiousiuMarieboi-nan'IKnstcin. The Dunkards ha\e only one 

wiili John Xaas an I Christian house of woi'ship in this town- 
Lew as their minisfcrs in those ship, where worship is ludd oidy 
l)la('es. Persecution (|uickly '>n alternate Sundays. The 



00 



HlSTOllY OF FllANCONIA TOWNSHIP. 



building is a frame structure 30 
x42 feet erected in 1843 and is 
located about one mile east of 
Harleysville, on the turnpike 
leading from Harleysville to 
Souderttm. This place was used 
in early times as a private bury- 
ing ground, and was opened by 
Rudolph "Harley as early as 
1740. On a visit to this bury- 
ing ground we copied the fol- 
lowing names and dates : M. 
H., 1743; A. H., 1758; H. K. 
St., 1783; B. H. 1791 ; A. H., 
1794; 1. 0. H., 1793; I. H., 
1795; H. S., 1794; N. S., 
1783; A. S., 1802. Among 
the aged buried here we find the 
following : Jacob Stauffer, 76 
years ; Jacob Stauffer again, 81 
years ; John S. Harley, 79 
years ; Samuel Harley, 81 years ; 
Saniuel Harley, 82 years, and 
Samuel Johnson 81 years. The 
• graveyard is not v^ery large but 
seems as if many have been 
buried there on the little spot. 
The surnames which appear on 
the stones are Harley, Markley, 
Cassel, Moyer, Kurth, Freed. 



Rahs, Walter, Kindig, Hartman, 
Fronefield, Shelly, Johnson, 
Young, Frederick, Henge, Bin- 
der Kline, Schissler, Schueck, 
Landes, Stauffer and Bre3^ The 
tombstones are of various sizes 
and designs, some being four 
feet high, and the inscriptions 
are about as numerous now in 
English as in German. The 
Dunkards are very plain people 
in dress, permit individuals to 
exercise their own judgment re- 
specting the size, inscription and 
pattern of their monuments, as 
may be observed in any of their 
burying grounds. This bury- 
ing place contains about one 
acre of ground enclosed with a 
substantial fence. There are 
also trees in the yard, such as 
oak, hickory and sassafras, all 
of which appear to be very old 
trees. The "Dunkards" who 
bury here and hold alternate 
services in the house have also a 
meeting house on the west side 
of the Indian creek, just over 
the Franconia line in Salford, 
which is their regular place of 



HISTORY OF FRANCONIA TOWNSHIP. 61 

worship. The present ministers Jacob Booz, with a membership 
lire William P. Price, Jonas reaching nearly two hundred. 
Ilarley, Henry A. Price and 



(32 HTSTOllV OF FKANCONTA TOWNSHT]> 



1 'j\i<^r >:vix. 

TITE :\rENNONTTEt^ TTllUi; DOCTIMNK SCTITSAFS OK TIIK iMKNNONITI'] CfllMtClC 

FKANCONTA :\II';I';T1 \(; IIOUSI^ and CONdllKI^VTION- — SOUDEIITON 

MEETING HOUSE. 

Almost contciii})()i';iii('ous to peculiar views a()oiit the ^'INm-- 

the Quakers came the disciples sons" of the Triiiitv, still Uiev 

of Meniio Simon, usually called are Tiiuitarians. They l)a[>tize 

the Meunonites. No Quakers adults only hy poui'iui;', a-ud 

are known to have ever settled partake of the Loi'd's supper ; 

ill oui" towuiship. The Menno- ori^uially ohserved leet wash- 

nites, too, were lonu' in this inn;, and only allow nian'ia«;e 

country hcfore they setllcd in 'Mu the Lord," or hetween 

this t(nvnship. Penn had made church nuunhei's. Their testi- 

the ac(piaintance oi' these people mony ai;'ainst war, oath liti<;'a- 

in their native country and after tion, and partici[)ation in the 

foundiuii ;ol" the colony invited aHiiirs of civil j^overnment and 

them to emii;rate to Pemisyl- against civil consti'aint iu mat- 

vania, which' some of them did ters of reli,i;ion has ever heen 

as early as 1 (»-);^ and many more maintained from the lirst. In 

in the eai'ly years ol the last industries, plainness of attire 

century, lu failh they ai'e and speech, and Iru^ality tliey 

mainly e\auu'eli<'al, as shown l)\' are iu exact accord with the 

a confession instituted at Dort, (Quakers. It is known that the 

iu 1(>-)1^. 'I^houu'h they iiold lesser Ciermau and especiaky 



HISTORY OF FllANCONIA TOWNSHIP. 
the peace sects, as individuals cept in patronizin 



and societies, resist innovations 
in dress, customs and worship, 
in short, concerning everything 
l)ronght with them from their 
Fatherland ; hence these, as alsc» 
their tenacity in religious be- 
lief exposes them to constant 
schisms, In the interior of the 
State there are several branches 
of the society unknown in our 
township, called "Omish," 
"Hooper," etc. In Montgom- 
ery county there have been 
several divisions of the Menno- 
nite body. The first one took 
place in 1847, in what is called 
Old and New^ Mennonites. The 
latter party was led by Rev. 
^Vbraham Hunsicker, a bishop, 
who thought the old testimonies 
of the society against scholastic 
learning and general participa- 
tion should be reformed. Five 
years afterward finding himself 
and his adherents trammeled 
and uncomfortable in the "new 
division" he withdrew and or- 
ganized the Trinity Christian 
church, which, in doctrine, ac- 
(M)rd with the old societies, ex- 



institutions 
of learning, Sunday schools, re- 
vival meetings and the like. 
There are two prosperous socie- 
ties of this denomination, one 
inFreelandand one at Skippack- 
ville. Subsequently divisions 
in Bucks and Lehigh counties 
were organized under the title 
of Evangelical Mennonites. 
Sever.il of these small parties 
are known by the names of their 
leaders, such as "Funkites," 
"Oberholtzer," "Johnson" and 
"Herrites," all of which appel- 
lations they repel, of course. 
The last one of the four named 
takes its name of John Herr, of 
Lancaster county. They have 
two or three societies in Mont- 
gomery county, an<l one in ear- 
lier times in this township, but 
have become extinct. We shall 
treat on the Herrite congrega- 
tion in Franconia in a forthcom- 
ing part. The Menn(mites hav- 
ino' one congregation and two 
houses of worship in this town- 
ship, and having a membership 
of nearly five hundred and still 
fast increasing. 



04 HISTORY OF FRANCO NI A TOWNSHIP. 

The first meeting house built space it has been enlarged again 
was probably as early as 1730, 
at least tradition states so, of 
stone. The second and the 
present large house was also of 
stone, 45x75 feet, and has a 
seating capacity of over eight 
hundred. The present officiat- 
ing ministers are Jacob Landes, 
Bishop Josiah Clemmer, Michael 
Moyer and Deacons Abraham 
Clemmer and Jacob Freed. The 
attendance is regular and on fair 
days the house is filled to over- 
flowing. This meeting house, 
as is usual with Mennonites, is 
surrounded by noble shade trees, 
particularly oak and maple. 
Some of the former undoubtedly 
remnants of the ancient forests. 
Here, too, on all sides are ex- 
tensive sheds for the protection 
of horses from the inclemency 
of the weather in all seasons. 
There is also a well of lasting 
water in the yard. The grave- 
yard here is an object of interest 
and since used for a burial 
ground, no doubt, one thousand 
have been hurried here. To 
meet the increasing demand for 



and again and comprises now 
about two acres of ground, usu- 
ally enclosed with a substantial 
stone wall, but recently replaced 
with a substantial board fence. 
On examining this ground at 
leisure we find the time honored 
names of Nice, Moyer, Clemmer, 
Souder, Gehman, Freed, Swart- 
ley, Landes, Bergey and others. 
We propose to give some of the 
names we copied therefrom 
which may prove of interest to 
some of their surviving kindred 
or friends residing beyond the 
neig"iiborhood. We copied the 
following names as we passed 
through the graveyard on our 
recent visit : Godshall, Nice, 
Hagey, Young, Mussel man, Det- 
weiler,Landis,Hackman,Krupp, 
Ziegler, Kolb, Conver, Shoe- 
maker, Freed, Bergey, Wesler, 
Bar, Weierman, Johnson, 
Schrauger, Rittenhouf-e, Delp, 
Swartley. Alderfer, Souder, Geh- 
man, Kindig, Yocuin, Halman 
Kriebel, Frederick, Moher,Weil, 
Benner,Yelles,Buth, Clenmiens, 
Oberholtzer, Klaen, Derstine, 



HISTORY OF FRANCONIA TOWNSHIP. 05 

Stover, Schleifer, Preice, Sell, be prized hi after years. We 



Markley, Umstead, Dettery, 
Kratz, Yoder and Cassel. We 
here find many stones bearing 
no names or dates at all, and 
we also find stones bearing the 
dateoflTGO, which being the 
earliest w^e could find, however, 
we suppose interments may have 
been made much earlier, as the 
many stones that have sunk 
into the ground, almost invisi- 
ble, bearing no date or inscrip- 
tion at all may prove. 

The history of the Mennonite 
congregation is hard to chroni- 
cle as no records are kept by the 
congregation from time to time, 
and, therefore, undoubtful much 
of interest is left unwritten. 
But like the husbandman in the 
harvest field there is always 
something left for the gleaner. 
So the minor occurrences, if not 
gathered by the local historian, 
is lost to us and our children. It 
is to those who follow after us 
that most of this interest is at- 
tached. Weseeingthings as they 
transpire before our eyes do not 
realize how highly they would 



therefore chronicle facts as they 
are presented to us. 

The first step leading to the 
founding of this congregation is 
due to Heinrich Funk, who 
emigrated from Europe in 1719 
and settled at the Indianfield, 
having five miles to his nearest 
neighbor, consequently being 
the earliest settler in the town- 
ship. There came more of his 
brothers and settled with him, 
when they organized a Menno- 
nite congregation and he (Hein- 
rich Funk) being elected minis- 
ter. In 1731 Christian Funk 
was born, a son of the named 
Heinrich Funk, married in 1751 
and remained at home with his 
father. In 1757 he being ap- 
appointed minister by his father, 
who died in 1760. Christan 
Meyer being the first deacon of 
the congregation, and soon after 
Isaac Kolb was elected bishop, 
nnd not long thereafter trouble 
began between Kolb and Meyer, 
to such an extent that Kolb, at 
the yearly conference, suggested 
to withdraw fi-om the congrega- 



m 



HISTORY OF FRANCONIA TOWNSHTP 



tion if he had to remain in ser- 
vice with Meyer. Through the 
advice from strange ministers 
the congregation decided to 
elect new ministers. The lot 
fell on Samuel Bechtel and 
Christian Funk. After the lot 
was cast Meyer and Kulb were 
again in harmony with each 
other, and offered to restore 
theii' services again to the con- 
gregation. The congregation 
from this time (1755) remained 
in peace and being properous 
until the breaking out of Revo- 
lutionarj^ war between the 
American colonies and English 
in 1774. The immediate cause 
of this war was the right of tax- 
ation without representation, as 
claimed by England. The 
American colonies pleaded that 
England had no right to tax 
them without their consent, as 
they were not aUowed to send 
representatives to the English 
Parliaments they could not give 
their consent. The British 
Parliament passed several acts, 
one of which imposed a tax or 
duty on all merchandise impor- 



ted, but the Americans refused 
to comply with the act ; How- 
ever, the king sent a cargo of 
tea to Boston and to collect 
therefrom the duty or tariff, 
the ship was, however, boarded 
by Bostonians and emptied the 
chests containing tea into the 
harbor ; there upon the king sent 
a regiment of sokliers to Boston; 
soon after their arrival the t-ev- 
eral colonies called together a 
Congress and army. During 
all this time the colony of Penn- 
sjdvania remained in peace 
because the colony of Pennsyl- 
vania, did not belong to the king 
of England, as it was given to 
admiral Penn as a part for pay 
for services rendered to the 
British Parliament. After his 
death this tract of land came 
into the hands of his son Will- 
iam, who was a Quaker, and he 
made known through Europe 
that he had a grant of land in 
America, where he invited all 
prosecuted Christians, securing 
for them political freedom and 
religious intolerencL^ "life, lib- 
erty and the pursuits of happi- 



HISTORY OF FllANCONTA TOWNSHIP. 



nr 



ness." This beino; th<^ main 
cause that induced our foreftith- 
ers to leave their homes in 
Europe and emigrate to a wil- 
derness, inhabited by wild men 
anil beasts. Living here in 
])eace and enjoying their liberty 
until the outbreak of the Revo- 
lutionary war. It was in the 
year 1776 when our township 
was notified to hold a meeting 
and to appoint three men, who 
should be sent to a convention, 
where it would be decided 
whether our State of Pennsyl- 
vania would also enter into war 
with England, as the other 
States already did, or whether 
it would remain neutral or cite 
with England. These circum- 
stances made the Mennonites 
believe that their religious free- 
dom would probably have to 
sufTor. The township meeting 
thus called composed of Luther- 
Mns, Reformed and two-thirds 
of the number constituted Men- 
nonites. The whole township 
being assembled and consider- 
able difficulty was experienced 
in electing delegates to the con- 



vention. Many wanted to cite 
with Europe, while others sup- 
ported the new constitution and 
cited with the other States 
already in war. These circum- 
stances had caused the Menno- 
nite congregation in this town- 
ship considerable difficulties and 
bitterness among its members. 
Suffice to say that we cannot 
give the entire history thereof 
as it would make a work like 
this of volumes. Christian 
Funk, a resident of this town- 
ship, wrote a pamphlet in Ger 
man in 1809, under the follow- 
ing title : "A Mirror for all 
Mankind." Christian Funk was 
a faithful minister of the work 
of God among the Mennonites 
during and after the American 
Revolution. It was written in- 
clusively from circumstances 
connected with the Franconia 
Mennonite congregation during 
the Revolutionary war. 

SOUDERTON ^IRETING HOUSE. 

The Souderton meeting house 
was built in 1879, of brick, 42 
x5o feet. Being located on the 
western outskirts of the village 



()8 HISTORY OF FRANOONIA TOWNSHIP, 

on an elevated traet offerinji; a b^en male therein 



beautiful glimpse of country 
life. T.here being no ordained 
congregation at this place ser- 
vices are held tri-Aveekly by 
ministers from the various con- 
oTeoations, and the house is 
generally well filled by members 
from different denominations. 
There is also a tract of land set 
aside for ti graveyard and quite 
a number of interments have 



Here, too, 
are sheds on all sides for the 
protection of horses from the 
inclemency of the weather in 
all seasons. The ground plan 
is laid out elegantly, surrounded 
by shade trees, which is an ol)- 
ject alwaj^s well provided by 
our forefathers to have the yard 
around their house of worship 
well provided with shade trees. 



HISTORY OF FRANCONIA TOWNSIITP. 



OU 



r^ARX 



FIERRITE DENOMINATION. 



It is Ivnown that the Menno- 
nites, especially the j)eace sects, 
as individuals and societies, re- 
sists innovations in dress, cus- 
toms and worship, in short, 
concerning everything brought 
with them from their Father- 
land ; hence these, as also their 
tenacity in relio;ious belief, ex- 
])oses them to constant schisms. 
The Herrites, which we are now 
to speak of, is a schism of the 
Mennonite church, and was led 
liy John Herr, of Lancaster 
county. They have at present 
two societies in Montgomery 
(bounty, in Worcester and Per- 
kiomen. The one in our town- 
ship has become extinct to such 
an extent that only a few mem- 
bers are scattered in our midst. 
They areusualh' and incorrectly 



called Ilerralites, and their ways 
and views are so peculiar that 
some of them are appended. 
"They do not or dare not, for 
fear of the ban of seperation (a 
sort of penance), hear the min- 
isters of another denomination 
preach." When one of their 
members commit a sin or break 
their rules, he or she is put 
under the ban, and is kept in 
avoidance ; then they do not 
eat or sleep with him or her, 
nor sit at the same table, imder 
pain of like censure. These 
more than monkish ansterities 
are calculated to split society 
into many factions, y^^i peace is 
so ingrained in their nature that 
to their credit be it spoken, se- 
rious quarrels are rarely report- 
ed amcmii; them. The "Her- 



ITTSTOIIY OF FTlAXrONTA TOWNSIITF. 



rites" originate from the second 
scliism of the Mennonite church, 
which took place at the b9gin- 
ning of this century, the portion 
that withdrew erected for them- 
selves a small one-story stone 
meeting house over the Fran- 
conia, line in Salford township, 
ne ir the present turnpike leading 
to Souderton. By 1850 they had 
diminished so that building was 
used only for a school house, 
and in 1855 it was torn down. 
The building was an old log 
structure, and some of the ma- 
terial was used to built the pres- 
ent "Her rite House" in 1855 
situated on the Francania side, 
several hundred yards north of 
the Harleysville and Souderton 
turnpike. It was here that a 
private burying ground was 
maintained and also used l^y the 
Herrites,as there burying ground 
hence it was considered conve- 
nient to built their house of 
worship at this place. Funds 
were "raised by contribution for 
the erection by a few scattered 
mem1)ers of the Herrite denom- 
ination, and others wlio desired 



to be buried in this grave3';ir(l. 
Sufhce to say that it is supposed 
now th;it they have liecome 
extinct here. They have houses 
of worship in Worcester and 
Perki:)men townships and sever- 
al in Lancaster county. 

On a recent visit to the grave- 
yard adjacent to the meeting 
house lot we copied some very 
old dates. Of those who sleep 
here the stones gave us the 
family names of Yoder, Moyer, 
Kratz, Booz, Landis,Funk,Delp, 
Kline, Wisler, Godshall, C.-.ssel 
and others. We also found 
stones bearing the following 
dates and letters: 1732, D. E., 
N. I. Q., I. V. N. E. H., H. S.; 
1777, G. W. D.; 1783, C. L.; 
1793, C\S.; 1783, M.C.; Jacol) 
Landis, 1807. There are also 
many stones bearing no dates or 
letters at all, and others have 
sunk into the ground. Among 
the aged slumbering beneath the 
sod are Christian Funk, aged 80 
years ; Valentine Kvatz, 95 
years ; Abraham Del]:), 8 1 years . 
The aged graveyard is certainly 
an ol)ject of interest. It con- 



HISTOllY OF F11AN(H)NTA TOWNSTITP. ,71 

tains about a (jiiavtcM- ol'aii aci'c, is soim'tiiuos held at this place 

(MU'losed with a suhstantial l,y ministers of other con^rooja- 

I .oard fence, situated on ek^A^ated ^[^^^^^ r^^^^, ^^^-^^^^^ attended ser- 

iiroimd, witli a l)eautiful iilimpse . , , .... , . , , 

" / vices here on a hr-autuul Nh)- 
or tlie surrounchni;' country into 

., • , 11 ' ,. -I i" r 1)ath day in June, 1880, with 

tlie (juiet valley oi the Indian •' ' 

^.j,^j^]- but seventeen persons present. 

It has been a Ion- time since The minister was a Uev. Landis 

the Ilerrites held their last wor- :»i^ offshoot of the Mennonite 

shi[) in this house. AVorship church. 



HlSTOllV OF FUANCONIA TOWNSIUP. 



VILLAGE HISTOP.Y. 

Houses for tlie i.'ntert;iiimient places aloiii;' the railroad lia,vc 
of travelers were soon establish- ))eeonie important places ol" hiis- 
in Pennsylvania. We find as iness 
the population spread into the telfokd. 
country, and roads were opened, The fn-.st settlers who eiunu- 
that at the most prominent ,i;rated to this part of the conn- 
points or intersections inns were try Avere mostly Germans and 
soon located, and soon followed Welshmen who immi<^rated irom 
by the villa<2,e blacksmith shop Germany and Great Britain. A 
and various small business es- ])art of the land where the vil- 
tablishments, forminij; villages, lage of Telford stands, was 
The villages in the township bought in 17-^)7 by Conrad Det- 
are Telford, Souderton, Franco- terer, of Humphrey Murray, 
nia and Franconiaville, to which and end)raced 120 acres. An- 
we may now add Earlington, other tract on the Backs coiudy 
Gehman, Bisino- Sun Hotel and side, was bouiiht bv Heini'ich 
Beliance Hotel, or Midway, a Hartzell, mIio emmigrated to 
place between Telford and Sou- this section and bought different 
derton. The places away from tracts of land at various times 
the railroad are not very large in 1732, aggregating nearly 
though supporting the usual in- 1,000 acres. 
• liistries of a village, but tlic This place l)ecame quite early 



UTSTOUY OF FRANCONIA TOWNSHIP l'\ 

■\]\ iinportaiit juiu'tioii ol' piihlir later as (Jomity Line, 

roads ; what is known as tlie The first house hnilt in Tel- 

Connt\" line Uoad M'as ()pene(l lord was aone-story stone struf*- 

in 17')2. ure, hnilt in 1825, hy John 

Sinee the location and con- Gerhart, on the premises now 

struction of the Noi'th IVnnsvl- owned hy Dr. J. E. iJamnan. 

\ania railroad, it has heconie an and is still in a i;()0)d state ol' 

important place of laisiness, preservation, haA'in_Li' lately re- 

.snpiK)rting the nsnal industries ceived a coat of plaster, and is 

of a village. The railroad was now used for storing away old 

fniished ten years hefore a sta- and more or less useless house- 

tion wasestahlished atthisplace, hold utensils. The house was 

there heing already fpiite a vil- first occupied hy a man named 

lage when the station house was John Wolf, a cohl)Iei' hy trade, 

hnilt and arrangements made At that time Telford was a 

lor the stopping of trains, in ([uiet, (hdl and di'eamy place. 

ISCiT. The present station No noise or smoke from lorges 

house was huilt hy the coinnui- or factories to disturh its tran- 

nity, and m:mey was raised l)y ([uility. The rumhiing sounds 

(^ontrihution foi' the same. from long trains of cars and 

\\'hen this })lace was made a shrill whistle of the locomotive 

stopping place it was necessary had not heen dreamed of. A 

to adopt a permanent name to steam cho})ping null was the 

the station and villa.ge. It was hrst husiness enterprise at this 

at the the time when Mr. Tel- place, was huilt hy Jacoh X. 

ford was the greatest civil engi- Souder, in 18o7, and did a good 

neei' in America ; hence it was husiness at times, hut was de- 

considei'eil a suitahle and appro- stroyed hy (ire in 18(11. It 

priate name for the station. In stood near the spot whei'e the 

1 8 4'.) the place was known as present steam mill of .Moses 

llcndrick's Blacksmith Shop; Shelly is located. Theri^ n':ej 



74 UTSTOKY OF FllANCONlA TOWNSHIP. 

;ilso a feed store {'oniiected with with this hotel a largo hall lor 

this mill, and is also to the pres- the use ot" singing schools, liter- 

ent day. . Th*^ present mill was arv societies and other puhlic 

huilt hi 1(S84, by C. G. Barndt gatherings. In the winter of 

k Son, who rim it about a year 1884-5 good literary societies 

wdien they made an assignment were Hourishiug here. It is 

of" their property to E. C. Bean, here where also a singing class 

lor the benefit of" their creditors, meets on alternate Sunday even- 

The whole business establish- ings, for a period extending 

inent was sold at assignee's sale back for probably more than 

for |;S, ()()(), to Moses K. Shelly, fifteen years, 
who, at this wanting, is doing a The Telford Hotel was l)uilt 

thriving bushiess. in ISfil), by Alexander Sellers. 

M. S. Kulp & Bro., who are A post office was established 

rumiing a steam chopping mill liere in ISTf and MV. Sellers was 

opposite the station, took pos- appointed postmaster, and ever 

S'.'ssion of the same in 1S(S(). since the post olfi'^e has remain- 

The establishment was founded ed at tins place. There is also 

by F. II. Souder, in 1870. eonnec^ted with the hotel a hall 

The (younty Line Hotel was for the use of public meetings 

erected in 1857, by Jacob N. and societies. The line of lanil- 

Souder. The wash and bake lords of this hotel are Alexan- 

house still attacdied to the hotel der Sellers, Francis Weisel and 

was one of the fii'st buildings in John Kuhn, who has posession 

the village. The fodowini; is at present. 

the line ot landlords of this The village contains four gen- 

liotel : Jacob X. Souder, Alex- eral stores at this writing. The 

aiider Sellei's, Abraliam Ksch- first one esta])lished was that of 

))a('h, (Jeorge Schweidv and I. (}. Gei'hart, on the Bucks 

Isaiah Barndt, the present land- county side in 1801, the pres- 

lord. TIkm^c is a.lso connected cut commodii)US store buildinii; 



HISTORY OF FKANCONIA TOWNSHIP. 



was erected in 1880. The next 
establishment ot" the kind erect- 
ed was that of J. W. Hoff, in 
18G9. Both stores are doing a 
flout ishing business. The others 
were established, and are of less 
inii)ortance. A blacksmith shop 



The foregoing described biisi- 
ness places was about all that 
composed the town in its infancy 
prior to 1870, with the excep- 
tion of a few private dwelling 
houses. Finally it began to 
grow rapidly in wealth, im- 



was established in the village in provement and popularity, until 

1 800, which number has increas- it reached its present capacity 

ed to three. in population of about GOO in- 

The first school house in the habitants, inclu<ling about 250 

vidage was built in 1870. Prior children under fifteen years of 

to this the scholars of the vil- age, with over 100 dwelling 



lage attended the neighboring 
schools in the rural district. 
From this date the village rap- 
id iv increased, and a desire for 
more and better school accomo- 
dation arose amcmg the citizens 



houses and thirty-five business 
establishments. 

Three general stores, three 
blacksmith shops, two coal and 
lime yards, two hay presses, 
two hotels, two hardware stores, 



and therefore an addition was one steam planning and sash 

was built to the oil school house factory, two boot and shoe es- 

in 188o, and a graded school tablishments, one wheelwright 

founded. F. C. Bean taught shop, one cabinet maker, an ag- 



the first term of the Grammar 
and of the Primary ; during the 
last terms the schools, both 
(Jrannnar and Primary, being 
crowded with scholars, and it 
will so(m benecessai-y to enlarge 
the school faci'ities of the vi'- 
lao'e. 



ricultural machine shop, two 
feed stores, connected with them 
extensive chopping mills ; a 
clothinic manufactory one 
watchmaker anl jeweler, one 
physician, two tinsmiths, a 
bakery and confectionary store, 
two luml)er vards, one furniture 



76 HISTORY OF FRANCONIA TOWNSHIP. 



manufactor}', a beer bottling es- 
tablishment, a marble yv.rd, two 
telegraph offices, one saloon, a 
cheese box manufactory and 
several smaller business estab- 
lishments constitutes the busi- 
ness places of the village. 

There is located here a large 
Union chapel, built in 1876, 
used principally for Sunday 
school purposes, and religious 
services by ministers of the va- 
rious denomi*nations in the 
neighborhood, on alternate 
times. The building is located 
on elevated ground on Main 
street, and surmounted by a bel- 
fry. The building committee 
was composed of I. G. Gerhart, 
Daniel Clowe! and Jonan Loh. 
There was organized a Sunday 
school in the same year, and 
ever s.nce a Sunday school nour- 
ished here during the whole year 
with about 150 scholars enrolled. 
The present officers are : Super- 
intendents, E. C. Leidy and E. 
C. Beans ; secretary, J. D. 
Souder and F. II. Keller ; libra- 
rian, Wilson Butter wick andlv. 
R. Hengey. The Sunday sch')oi 



is in a nourishing condition. 

SOUUERTON. 

The first settlers who emigra- 
ted to this section of the country 
were Welshmen. The first 
building erected by them was 
on the premises of Ephraim 
Freed, on the upper Skippack 
below this place, Where the 
greater j)art of the town is now 
located, a few hundred yards 
east of the railroad depot there 
stood an old fashioned log house 
and a "Swiss" barn, then owned 
and occupied by Jonathan 
Hunsl)erger, who also owned all 
the ground where now the depot 
of the North Pennsylvania rail- 
road is located, and where most 
of the business is now transact- 
ed. Thence along Church road, 
a few hundred yards northwest 
of the depot, on the right hand 
of the road was the residence of 
Henry Souder Sr., and on the 
left his carpenter shop and lum- 
ber yard. Still farther up on 
the northwest side of the Skip- 
pack creek stood an old log 
cabin, formerly owned ])y 
George Henge, deceased, the 



HISTORY OF FRANCONIA TOWNSHIP. 77 

ancester of the lienges of this Cowpath road, near the Indian 

place and vicinity, thence due Creek church, the upper part of 

north, about one-third mile which was ahondoned since 

northwest of the raih'oad depot 1865. What is now known ns 

was the residence ot Michael Water street was its only 

Ilenoe, lately deceased, now branch. 

owned by William Ilenge. There were only a few houses 

These were all the inhabitants in the surrounding country, 

of the town in its infancy, would traces of which still remain. 

say prior to 1850. It is now The oldest house in Souder- , 

pn)bal)ly more than 150 years ton was built in 1837, by Henry 

since the first settlers set foot on Souder, Sr., at the corner of 

this section of the country. We Water street and what is now 

fuid many of their descendannts known as Main street. This 

livino- near the orijiiinal settle- property is now owned by the 

ment of their ancestors, and railroad company, was bou<>;ht 

still <i great many keep moving to avoid bridging Water street 

westward from time to time, at this point, 

nnd we now hear of them from About 1843 Henry Souder. 

places on the Pacific coast, or Sr., established a lumber yard 

more than three thousand miles at this place. The lumber was 

away from the homes of their hauled from Point Pleasant, on 

nncestors. the Delaware river, a distance 

Fifty years ago, what is now of eighteen miles, 
the principal street of Souderton, In the fdl of 1855 S. I). 
was a narrow lane, having a Hunsl>erger& Bros. (M)nnnenced 
low washed out bed, with high the Hour and feed business op- 
s'oping banks ; on one side of posite the place where the de])ot 
which was a forest and on the now stands. The present build- 
other lay barren fields. This ing was erected in 1804. 
road orio-inallv exteirled to the The North Pennsvlvania i';iil- 



78 



HISTORY OF FllANCONIA TOWNSHIP. 



road was coiiipletod in 185G. 
Altliougli no depot being Iniilt 
the place was known as Fran- 
conia station, Wm. Souder act- 
ing as agent for the company. 
The present depot was built in 
1865. J. C. Landis, was the 
first agent who received a regu- 
lar salary from the company. 
Upon the organization of the 
National bank, he being elected 
its cashier, resigned and Morris 
D. Zendt, the present incuberit 
was appointed in 1876 to suc- 
ceed him. 

The railroad gave a new im- 
pulse to business and from this 
time the growth of the town 
was rapid. 

In 1864 Jesse and Jose])h 
Huber came into the village and 
built several houses and estab- 
lished a cigar fjictory which 
gave employment for a time to 
many persons, but we are sorry 
to say that it suffered the fate 
of many others who were en- 
gaged in the same business. 

A post office named New 
Harbor was established May 
12th, 1800, Wm, >Souder was 



appointed postmaster. Its 

name was changed January 13, 
1864, making it agree with the 
name of the station which was 
then Souders. William B. 8'i- 
fer was appointed postmaster 
June 12, 1869, who moved the 
post office from Wm. Souder's 
office to his store. It was again 
removed after the appointment 
of Milton D. Zendt as postmroSter, 
February 26, 1876. The name 
of the post office and station 
were changed to Soudertc>n in 
March, 1876. Postmaster 

Zendt resigned June 4, 1885, 
a,nd was succeeded November 6, 
1885, by William K. Shellen- 
berger, whose appointment dates 
from October, 28, 1885. The 
post office was again removed 
from Hunsberger's store to its 
present location, in the store of 
Landis & Co. 

The Ilarleysville and Souders 
turnpike was chartered June 2, 
I860, but was not completed 
until 1856. A stage route was 
established between this place 
and Green Lane, but was soon 
abandoned. 



HISTORY OF FKANCONIA TOWNSHIP. 
The Souderton Hotel was founded in 1801 



built by Jonathan Ilunsberger, 
in 1858. It was occupied b}^ 
Franklin Zepp, two years, 
Alexander Sellers six years, 
Frank F. Hendricks seven years, 
Elias Snyder six years, W. D. 
Hunsberger three years, W. B. 
Sailer two years, and W. B. 
Freed, the present landlord, 
took possession in 1885. 

Liberty Hall, a spacious 
building connected with the 
))uilding connected with the 
liotel, was built by W. D. Huns- 
berger in 1885. 

The store known as Landis & 
Co.'s was built in 1800. Souder 
& Bergey occupied it four years, 
Henry Souder, Jr., two years, 
W. B. Slifer filteen years and 
Landis & Co. since 1882. 

Hunsbergor's store was built 
in 1860, and occupied by Wn\. 
I). Hunsberger one year. The 
next occupant was Milton D. 
Zendt, who took possession in 
March 1870. He was succeed- 
ed by S. D. Hunsberger *fe Bro , 
June 1st, 1885. 

The first hardware store was 



by E. H. 
Souder. It was enlarged as 
business increased to its present 
size. It is now one of the lar- 
gest hardware stores in Eiistern 
Pennsylvania outside of Phila- 
delphia. E. H. Souder carried 
on the business tor sixteen years. 
In 1877 he formed a partner- 
ship with B. C. Barndt, and the 
firm was known as K. H. Sonder 
& Co. In 1883 E. H. Souder 
retired and Danley & Barndt 
succeeded. B. C. Barndt took 
posession in 1884, 

Moyer's feed store was found- 
ed by II. K. Godshall in 1804, 
who continued in business three 
years and A. K. Frick two 
3'ears. Moyer & Bro. took pos- 
session in 1869. The building 
was enlarge in 1871 and in 1882. 
In the latter year a chopping 
mill was added to the business. 

M. B. Bergey erected a plan- 
ing mill on Main street in 1862. 
It passed into J. M. Souder's 
hands in 1872. It was removed 
to green street its present site, 
in 1874. It was destroyed by 
(ire in 1881, but was rel)uilt the 



80 



HISTORY OF FRANCONIA TOWNSHIP. 
It was leased in Aujj,'. Tlioiiias, H. K. Godshall, 



sail 10 year 

1883 by John Gerliab, agent, 

who still carries on the l)usi- 

ness. 

In 1871 another i)lanning 
mill was erected on Chestnnt 
street by Henising & Souder. 
On the erection of Sonder's 
steam saw mill in 1872 adjoin- 
ing the place, horse power was 
superseded by steam. In 1880 
the partnership was dissolved 
and since that time the business 
was continued by H. F. Ilemsing, 
the present proprietor. 

The Unional National l)ank 
was incorporated May 15, 187G, 
and opened June 10, 1876, in 
Henry Sonder's store house, op- 



G. H. Swartz and M. B. Ber- 
gey. The present board con- 
sists of I. G. Gerhart, A. Sorver, 
John S. Iluth, Henry Biith, E. 
H. Souder, John B. Moyer, Wm. 
Souder, Isaac II. Moyer. J. G. 
Metz and Aug. Thomas. I. G. 
Gerhart has been president and 
J. (J. Landis cashier since the 
organization of the bank. Jas. 
M. Sliler was the first teller ap- 
pointed January 2, 1877, and 
served until 1883 when he re- 
signed to accept the position of 
cashier of tiie Farmers' National 
bank, Pennsburg, Pa., but is 
now cashier of the Topton 
National bank. He was suc- 



posite the depot. It was moved ceeded by J. D. Moyer. 

into its present building, Janu- On August 2, 1878, Peale k 



ary 1, 1877. It has a capital 
of $90,000,00, with a surplus 
and undivided profits amounting 
to $30,000.00. Its deposits on 
Maj 22, 1886, amounted to 
$171,304.97, discounts $192,- 
713 95. The first board of di- 
rectors were I. G. Gerhart, A. 
Sorver, 0. D. Loch, Henry Ruth, 



Goettler, established a printing 
office, on Main street, in the l)uild- 
ing of Mrs. Barbara Price. On 
tlie fourth dav of August the 
fii'st sale bill was printed in 
Souderton, for the sale of real' 
estate and personal property of 
Henry Yoder, near Franconia 
Sfpiare. On the 16th of August 



John S. Mover, Chas. God.'-l^all, the Germnnla Gazette, a seven 



HISTORY OF FRANCONTA TOWNSriTP. 



si 



coUmin paper, printed in the 
German language made its ap- 
pearance weekly until April 2.1 
1881, when its publication was 
suspended, and the German type 
sold to John Shupe, at Telibrd, 
In January, 1879, prior to the 
sus[)ension of the German paper, 
Charles L. Peale withdrew from 
the firm and W. F. Goettler, the 
present proprietor succeeded. 
On April IC), 1881, the Souder- 
ton Independent, then only a five 
colunm folio made its appear- 
ance for public favors. On 
June 4, of the same year it was 
enlarged to six colums, and 
aiiain on October 28, 1882, to its 
])re,^ent size. 

The printing office was moved 
from the building of Mrs. Price, 
in the Spring of 1880, to the 
hotel hall, then owned by W, 
I), riunsbero-er, and whicii was 
torn down in the summer of 
1 881 . From the hall the print- 
ing office was moved into an 
open shed, then located on the 
site of the new hall. The print- 
ing material was removed from 
fhe shed in order to move the 



building to where it now st;ui 
and then it was again occupi; . 
On November 20, 1881, tli 
office was removed to its pres- 
ent location. 

J. G. Leidy's store was open - 
in September, 1882. It is 
knt)wn as the Central Store. 
The business was for a short 
time carried on by Leidy & xVl- 
derfer, but since 1883 Mr. 
Leidy is the only proprietor. 

M. I>. Bergey's hosiery mill 
was started January 1, 1885, 
and moved into the new l)uil(l- 
ing September 1, 1885. It gives 
employment to fifty-seven per- 
sons, forty in the faetory and 
seventeen outside. 

A school house wiis built on 
Chestnut street in 1875. Prior 
to this time the children attend- 
ed Five Points and Rosenber- 
ger's schools. The teachers 
who taught here during the 
winter terms were F. G. Wile, 
one term, J. II. Leidy, thrc' 
terms and Jacob A. Bucher, on 
term. Those that taught siiK- 
scripticm schools were F. 
Wile, John A. Wile, D. B. L - 



; 2 HISTOllY OF FHAN 

\\eiler, J. 11. Leidy, Rev. Henry 
Oerhart, Albert Miller and A. 
M. Alderfer. 

As the population of the town 
increased more school accommo- 
dations were required. Iti 1880 
the old school building gave way 
to the present two-story struc- 
ture. It would be an injustice 
to the citizens of Souderton 
should we fail to state that they 
voluntarily raised a considerable 
amount of money toward the 
new luiilding. The line of 
teachers of this scaool is as fol- 
lows : The teachers of the Gram- 
mar school were I. L. Gehman, 
one term, Enos C. Beans, four 
terms, C.N. Gerhart, one term; 
of the Primary, D. S. Harr, one 
term, Chas. White, two terms. 
Miss Connie Durrin, one term, 
and Miss Jennie Moyer, two 
terms. Those that taught sub- 
scription schools were F. G. 
Wile, J. H. Leidy, Albert Shit- 
ler, Jacob K. Moyer and Enos 
(\ Beans. 

The Souderton Library, lo- 
cated in the school house was 
opened March 5, 1886. 1' is 



OUXIA TOWNSHIP. 

opened for the exchange of books 
the first andthirdFriday of each 
month. The library contains 
over two hundred volumes of 
travel and adventure, reference, 
scientific, biographical and his- 
torical works. 

There is only one church in 
Souderton, built by the Old 
Mennonites. It was dedicated 
on Christmas Day, 1879. There 
is tri-weekly worship and oc- 
casionally at other times. It is 
also used by the Sunday schot)l 
for about nine mcmths in the 
3^ear. 

The business of the place may 
be summed up as follows: Three 
general stores, one grocery store, 
two furniture stores, two hard- 
ware stoi^es, two shoe stores, 
one jewelry store, one drug 
store, one tinware store, two 
steam hay bailing establish- 
ments, two planing mills, one 
saw mill, rim and spoke factory, 
one cigar factory, two cigar box 
factories, one carriage factory, 
one hosiery mill, two steam 
mills, one furniture and organ 
man u factor V, one harness man- 



H18TUKY Ui- FKA.NCOMA i OWuNSHli' s;; 

iiractory, two clothing establish- turv ago. For iii.m v jcurs tliis 
iiR'iits, two hnuher yards, two section was thinly settled and 
coal yards, two blacksmith being largely covered with woo<l. 
shops, one barber shop, two It has l)een but lately that this 
tailor shops, one repair shop, section had to 3'ield to the wood- 
one bakery, one printing olfice, man's axe. The place where 
one National bank, two tele- the pi'esent store and hotel are 
gragh olhces, one post olhce and located had first to be cleared 
I wo hotels. The populiition ot" from trees. These two business 
the town in IScSli was (ill. It i)laces, especially the store, 
contained llJ-3 dwelling houses, probabl)- date back to the colo- 
or (me for every live inhabi- nial days. 

t.aids. It is now probably a hundred 

Fi!A.\coNi.\vii,u;, years since the first house was 

Is an old-time land-mark, tound- l)uilt in the village by Jacob 

ed by the o])ening of ahotel and Shafer. It was located where 

store. The origin of which is the present dwelling house of 

now scarcely known to the old- Isaac Freed now stands, and is 

(_;st iidiabitants of the vicinity. now about seventy years since 

Thr buildings of thi- village aiv Hcigey A. Weand kept store in 

plain and substantial, and have the ])uilding; after that it was 

al)out them the fvidences of the sold to Henry Ilackman, who 

solid comfort and necessities of leased it to Daniel Price. Ten 

life characteristics of the unas- years afterward it was ugain 

suming and self-denying i)eople sold to Jacob Ilarley, who ke])t 

who possess and inhabit it. store there until l(So4, and in 

This place has grown so ra[)- the meantime established an 

idly that it is ini])ossible tor any- hotel hi the same building in 

one to picture to the young gen- addition to his store business. 

oration the condition and a])- The present store house ol 

pearance of things half a cen- Henry F. Hackman was bnilt 



84 



HISTOKY OF FRANCONIA TOWNSHIP. 
office, hotel, t^tore, 



by Jacob ilarley in 1834. The 
spot where the store is located 
was a tract of woodland densely 
covered with original forest, and 
had to be cleared to cause the 
err;ction of the building. At 
this date this section was yet 
covered with dense forest for 
miles. This place must have 
certainly invited royal rest for 
the weary traveler. 

The hotel of Jacob Harley 
was sold to Jesse Lewis, who, 
after several years, sold it to 
Abraham Hackman, who kept 
the hotel there until 18GU, when 
his son, Henry 13. Hackman, 
built the hotel now occupied by 
George Z. Hunsicker. The 
house connected with the black- 
smith shop was built prior to the 
store (1834). The other build- 
ings of the village are of more 
recent date. 

FRANCONIA SQUARE 

Is situated in the centre of the 
township, at the junction of the 
Allentown road and the Har- 
ieysville and Souderton turn- 
pike, thirty miles from Phila- 
delphia. It contains a ])ost 



jlacksmith, 
tinsmith, shoemaker, saddler, 
telegraph office and about twenty 
houses. The post ofhce is call 
ed Franconia and was establish- 
ed in 1830. 

The Allentown road through 
this place was laid out cpiite 
early, showing that was an early 
settlement. The hotel was es- 
tablished and licensed by 
William (3berholtzer in 18G8, 
and kept by him for seven years, 
when it was rented to Israel 
Wood for one year, and one 
year to John Miller. In 1877 
it was sold to John Binder, the 
present owner, and keeping the 
hotel himself for seven yeai"s he 
rented it, in 1884, to Gideon 
Nice, the present landlord. The 
election has been held at that 
place continuously since 1868. 
There is also connected with the 
hotel a commodious hall foi" the 
use of public meetings and social 
gatherings. 

MIDWAY. 

Midway is a place l)etwecn 
Telford and Souderton, on tiie 
North Penn i'aili"oad, and was 



HISTORY OF FllANCONIA TOWNSHIP. 



85 



(biiiuled ([iiitc recently hy the 
opening oi" a feed .store and 
hotel. The hotel was built in 
1880 by Robert L. Priester and 
licensed the succeeding' year. 
In 1883 it was sold to A. D. 
Stever and in 1885 to George 
Schwenk, the present landlord. 
The feed store, coal yard and 
hay house was established in 
1885 by M. 8. (Jlemmens and 
A. S. Alderfer, and are doing 
])U.siness under the firm name of 
(Jlemmens k Alderfer. A dry- 
goods and grocery store was 
opened in the spring of 1 886 by 
Aaron Godshall and a black- 
smith shop was established the 
same year. This constitutes 
tlie business establishments of 
this village, together with aljout 
eight dwelling houses. The 
place is elegantly located and 
the time will probably not Ije 
long hence when requisite ar- 
rangements will be made for the 
stopping of trains. 

EARLlNCiTOX. 

Earl ing ton is a small village 
located on the allentown road 
about one mile north of Franco- 



nia S(juare. The origin of this 
village is ol quite recent date, 
founded l)y the opening of a 
hotel in i881 by Henry N. 
Frederick, in 1883 he sold it to 
Mahlon Kline, and he sold it, in 
1885, to Albert Gerhart, the 
present landlord. The hotel is 
elegantly located on high 
ground at the intersection of two 
roads. The place is a genuine 
entertainment to travelers and 
drovers. 

RISING SUi\ HOTEL. 

The Rising Sun Hotel, located 
near the East Branch on the 
Allentown road, is an ancient 
business establishment. A part 
ot the building has a special in- 
terest for lovers of antiquarian 
relics dating back among the 
misty records of the Revolu- 
tionary times, and is said to be 
the oldest inn in the township. 
Tradition gives the date of the 
founding of the inn 1770, al- 
though documentary evidences 
are wanting. It was licensed 
to Elizabeth Gerhart in 1770, 
and ever since it has been in 
the name of Gerhart until of 



so lllSTUKV Oi^- i^'KANCONIA TOWNSHll'. 

late, 1878, when Krun Gerhart traveling on tliir< loail ha;- le.s- 

houglit it of Zeno Gerlmrt. sened. 
Prior to the (X)nytriietion ol" the 

XT 1 Tx , . -in (iHll.MAN8. 

J^orth Pennsylvania, railroad 

this i-oad where this inn isloea- ^^ P^='^^' ^'=»'"'^b' pcreeptahle to 
ted re<|uire(l a great deal of the stranger, is located iu the 
team accommodation. It was northwestern part of the town- 
one of the great roads leading ship, and was founded l)y the 
from Philadelphia to AUentown, opening of a store. A post 
Easton and Bethlehem. I was office was established- in 1888 
informed by an old resident that and Aimer (Jehman was appoint- 
he saw as many as twenty loads ed |)ostmaster. There is also 
of hay passing the roads in one a clothing manufactoiy at this 
string, and one herd of cattle place. This, together witli 
after the other, but since the several houses, comprises the 
construction of railroads the villaiie. 



HISTORY OF FRANCONIA TOWNSHIP 



87 



1 'AKT XXII. 
rROGKESS OF CIVI LI/ATI ON. 



This year Ave close the one 
hundred tind thirty-fifth year of 
incorporation of our township. 
There can be no hesitancy in 
sajing that noae of those who 
lived within its borders at the 
time of its organization, imagin- 
ed that at the close of 135 years 
would find it a home of nearly 
three thousand souls. 

The men of one hundred vears 
ago knew nothing of steam as a 
motive power. To-day iron 
loadb' traveri-e our country from 
East to West and from North to 
South, Little did they know of 
mechanical arts, but now, by 
the aid of inventive genius, our 
country is spotted all over with 
the 1)U8y mill and worksho}). 
The Constitution of the United 
States was not framed when 



our township was organized. 
Now, securing to all political 
freedom and religious tolerence, 
life, liberty, and the pursuits of 
hap];)iness, it is an assured fact 
a union of States which none 
can sever. Let me then say, 
tiiose gala days which we are 
now livhig, we should devoutl}' 
thank an indulgent Providence 
for the many blessings bestowed 
upon us in tli(* past, and pray 
that the institutions wdiich made 
these blessings possible be se- 
cured to us, or children and our 
children's children forever. 

We have cause to rejoice, the 
hundred and thirty-five j^ears 
just rolled by has brought us 
much pi'osperity. 

In forming the township, the 
chief idea was that the territory 



m 



HISTORY OF FKANCONIA TOWNSHIP. 



of Salford, of which Franconia 
is part, being too huge to "be 
served hy one constable ; over- 
seers of the poor and assessor — 
Franconia township was thus 
estabhshed March 10, 1751, with 
a popuhxtion of thirty four hmd- 
owners, probably not more than 
one hundred souls. The town- 



fathers, whose hands have long 
since been crumbled to dust. 
When we see their works we are 
reminded of their ways, in many 
ways simpler than ours. We 
honor and respect their mem- 
ories. 

"It is M^ell in the flight of 
time to pause and review the 



ship has grown since then from events that have transpired 



one hundred to nearly three 
thousand souls. Our growth 
was great in the past and nmst 
be greater still in the future. 
Situated as we are, in railroads, 
near the o-reat coal bed of Penn- 
sylvania, with easy access to all 
the largest cities in the country, 
in the midst of fine scenery, 
with terti^_e land and healthful 
surroundings, we have every 
element for future development. 
As we mark this era, we con- 
template the past, when we see 
the possessions of our own an- 
cestors for comparrison with 
things of to-day, we find among 
them revived fashions of times, 
so diflerent from ours ; we find 
still in the hands of the present 
ueneration works of tlieir fore- 



a round us ; to know^ whether we 
have advanced or intrograded 
as concerns the general welfare ; 
in what respect, if any, we have 
really progressed. Time will 
not pause a single moment, and 
no people can remain stationary. 
Changes, more or less, is a law 
of nature to which all that has 
life must admit. It behooves 
us then to guard that it be for 
the better. The writing of the 
history is not an easy matter as 
many may suppose, because it 
is one hundred and thirty years 
since the incorporation of om- 
township, and nearlj;^ two hun- 
dred years since the first settle- 
ment, where then shall I beghi, 
and what shall be omitted. 
A('cordin<!; to the list of Ian-:!- 



HISTOUY OF FKANCONIA TOWNSHIP. 

holders oi" 1734, we find the or .saimuiiie riitiue 
early settler.s consisted entirely 



ofWelsh and Germans ; the pro- 
)rietar3' had been anioni;' these 
)eople in their native hind and 
'ncouraged them to come. Here 
i))erty of" conscience had been 
)r()chinned, and an exemption 
rom tithe ; thouo;h neither was 
olerated in Great Brittain, along 
he valle}- (.f the lUiine where 
iiany of oin- first settlers emi- 
:,rated, wei'e also the frontier 
ines of powerful France, and 
he frequent wars of Germany 
'rom which these settlers had to 
sutler gieath^ from their hos- 
iles, a dark future was indeed 
jefore them. To facilitate this 
I company was organized and 
ir.mcrous pamphlets circulated 
hroughout Germany, in the 
anguage of its pe()[)le, setting 
brth the peculiar advantage of 
he distant colonies. Hence it 
nay not be wondered that the 
veakcr sex were the first to 
•ome, for no matter how strong- 
he attachment of naii\'ity the 
atherland pr^'sented, from their 
experience of the past no bright . lages, the tt^wnslii}) contains 17') 



89 

In this 
brief and hasty survey of our 
r)rogr(^ss it is well to glance at 
what our townshi}) was (ifty 
years ago. It then comprised 
9520 acres of land with a po})u- 
lation of 998 souls, or little less 
than ti}i\ acres to every person. 
In 1880 the same territory con- 
tained a population of 2,550, or 
a little over three acres to every 
inhabitant. This decade is the 
most favorable of any in the 
history of the township, an in- 
crease of 1550 souls in a total 
l)opulation ol 2550 persons. 

At this time, though a century 
had elapsed since the first set- 
tlement, there was not a turn- 
pike, no post office, no news- 
paper, no almshouse for the sup- 
port of the poor in the several 
townships of Montgomery 
county, no bridges, not a single 
village containing adozen houses. 
To-day we have seven houses 
of worship, four post offices, two 
railroad stations, two news- 
papers, our streams are all well 
bridged, and a numl)er of vil- 



90 HISTORY OF FKANCONIA TOWNSHIP. 

persons to the square mile, ap- have had their way, and no 



preaching the most thickly set- 
tled countries. Such are the 
wonderful resources of our 
people and their general happi- 
ness that they can not realize 
that they are densely peopled, 
which, in other and much older 
countries, has so long been as- 
sociated with wretchedness, and 
as they have, arising from an 
inability to secure a suthciency 
of food. What a subject is here 
for the people of Europe to pon- 
der on. Taken collectively and 
consider the progress we have 
made since the first settlement, 
how eventually and at no great 
distance of time, we nrast sur- 
pass in population and resources, 
not only^ Europe, but perhaps 
every c(juntry on the face of the 
globe, when we say this we are 
not speaking of our township 
alone, but of our country in 
general. In the long course of 
two hundi-ed years not a single 
instance can be found where a 
white man or an Indian ever 
shed blood ; mobs have never 
prevailed liere, the most violent 



churches or other buildings have 
ever been destroyed under such 
temporary excitement. Though 
peopled by Welsh, Germans and 
mention may be made of the 
English, speaking various lan- 
guages, holding different politi- 
cal and religious views ; they 
resolved to live here peaceably 
together, while they diligently 
labored to improve their posses- 
sions, until they have become as 
we now behold and enjoy at the 
present day. "Let then the 
present generation regard these 
things as a deserving memorial 
due to our forefathers, who have 
so long preceded us, and whom 
we should endeavor to follow 
in every good example." 

To determine whether we are 
continually advancing, let us 
only glance back over a short 
period of ten years, which is 
memorably with the centennial 
year ; the time certainly seems 
short and to have passed rapidly, 
but we have not been idle. If 
there is any one doubts our 
progress, let him puu.se a mo- 



HISTORY OF FTIANCONTA TOWNSIITP. Ill 



moiit and take a retrosj)ective 
glance, compare 1876 with 1886, 
and see the marked advance- 
ment. Thenew revelations that 
were showered npon us theii 
have come up into general use, 
and we find them so familiar 
that we scarcely realize ever 
havinji; been without them. In 
science, in art, in architecture, 
in every l)ranch of industry the 
same wonderful progress is 
shown. The electric light was 



then in its infancy, the tele- 
phone was merely a. toy, j^et 
both have now become so essen- 
tial that we could not do with- 
out .them. Such illustrations 
could be multiplied indefinitely, 
but they onlv go to show how 
far we have come within the 
past ten years. 

Life is full of surprise and un- 
expected happenmgsthat we can- 
not understand, nmch less < on- 
trol the daily hai)penings of the 
world. There are strange things 
liappening every day in art and 
science, which we merely look 
at, shrug our shoulders, and pass 
them bv. We think at th<* first 



glance that they are wonderful, 
but do not understand, and so 
we let thorn pass. ^A'as this 
always so ? Let us for a lew 
moments glance back a hundred 
years. If a man would have 
told our Ivevolutionar}^ fore- 
fathers that in a hundred years 
hence the mail would be cai'ried 
from New York to Califor- 
nia in six or seven days; that 
vessels would cross in ten days; 
or that we could talk from 
Maine to Florida, and get an 
answer before breakfast, they 
would have hung him for a 
dangerous lunatic or an impostor. 
But has not this, and indeed 
much more become true 1 And 
whiit thanks have the great and 
noble men, who have thus ben- 
efitted the world ? Instead of 
making them better and more 
contented than before, they have 
made the people expect ten 
times more than has ever yet 
been accomplished, and while 
all these wcmderful achieve- 
ly look ments have been taking place, 
humanity has merely started 
and cooh^ aske<l, "Wonder what 



«Ji> HLSTORY OF FRAN 

they will do next ?" Why, 1113^ 
dour reader;^, I should yny, what 
do j'ou want ? Are we not sat- 
isfied ? The public mind has 
more than it could digest, long 
ago, and why shall we continue 
Ibeding; it if it can not dierest 
what it already has. Things 
have alread}^ advanced so far 
that a man can send his wife a 
morning kiss if she is a thou- 
sand miles away ; and yet 
people will merely start and ask 
"What next," without p<-rceiv- 
ing what has already l)een ac- 
complished. Nor is this asking 
without an effect, man is an in- 
quisitive creation and from this 
one trial nuich has been found 
out. By it Sir Isaac Newton, 
discovered the force of gravity, 
Franklin the tacts of electricity, 
Watts the steam engine, all of 
which are of great value, much 
greater, in fact, than the greater 
mass of hum.anity here have 
ever taken it to be. But the 
world is full of idlers who can- 
not understand great objects, 
and so they simply sneer at 
great things, iind with their 



CONIA TOWNSHIP. 

hand in pocket ;ind their lira in 
in pickle, they lazily in'juire 
"what next?" But certain!;/ 
this asking wdiat next will cease, 
the next we will hear that the 
idler and the person who is 
never satisfied, but is continually 
wondering what next, have been 
sweptaway from the earth, with 
no one to wish him here yet to 
continue his good works ; but 
he has departed "unwept-, un- 
honored and unsung." All 
great men of the world wlu) 
have tried to understand the 
present before wondering what 
would happen next, were men 
who were satisfied with the 
present and tried to do their 
good deeds in the time they had 
and were not continually trying 
to look in the future and think 
the}' would rather live in it then 
than the present. 

It is altogether useless for us 
to be trying to peer into the hid- 
den future. Life is one con- 
stant change, narrowed into a 
moments time, which we call 
the present. Time is pnssing 
so rapidly that all that we can 



HISTORY OF FllANCONIA TOWN>SHIP. i)'5 

do is to look with wonder and think ;in I plan lor to-n.iorrow, 
amaze' n lent at the thin«;s of the but how^ foolish ; we may lie 
present moments as they which down this evening' never more 



passed n.s and ;u'e gone. They 
then lie back of us a confused 
mass ; a chaos out of which it is 
;dmost impossible to call order. 
Everything is so mixed up so 
that we do not know where any 
of the things belong. * * * 
Confused as the past may seem 
the future is far more chaotic 
and uncertain ; of it we know 
positively nothing. We know 



to rise. Our sun may ha\o set 
for the last time. 

Verily we are as the grass 
that one day is growing and the 
next is cut down and cast away. 
And so the curtain of time, 
which, hapily hides our woes as 
well as our joys of the future 
from us. and which we cannot 
lift aside, and as one thing after 
another passes from the future 
not if the things that have hap- to the past, silently wonder 
pened every day of our lives "what next." Such is certainly 



will happen to-morrow^ Yes, 
we do not even know^ if our 
lives wall be spared for another 
day. 

All is dark betbre us. AVe 



our position and thoughts of man 
at present, which have thus 
lived to see a triumphant record 
of matchless progress which is 
looming up before us to-day. 



94 



IITSTOUY 01^^ IMIANCONT.V TOWNSTITP. 



PART 



ill. 



l'l(L\Hi:i! SHTTLKltS. 



It is now more tliiui one hun- 
dred and (il'ty yeai's since the 
first settlers set toot on the sec- 
tion ofthe country which is now 
the township of Franconia. 
Many of their descendents still 
live near or on their original 
settlements in the township, and 
still a great number kept mov- 
ing westward from time to time, 
and we now hear ot them from 
places on the Pacific coast, move. 
than three thousand miles away 
from the early homes of their 
ancestors. 

In the year ITot the town- 
ship contained thirty-four land- 
holders that ])ai(l ([uit-rents. 
Pro))al)ly some of our readers 
may not know what a "([uit- 
rent" is. ((Juit rent is a re- 
served rent in the iirant of land 



by the proprietary by the p-'iy- 
ment which the land holder was 
to be freod from other taxes. 
They were not uniform varying 
from one shilling sterling pi^r 
hundred acres to six shillings 
per M.nnum, and in some in- 
stances more.) We have s:>- 
cured a complete list of land- 
holders of 17o4, 

The following are the naui(\^ 
and num1)er of acres of eacii : 
Johannes Fry, 150 ; Jacol) 
Obe-.-ho'zT, 150; Jost Pfanneu- 
kuch, 100; Joseph Altlious,! fl ; 
Ulrich Ilunsberger, 150; Leon- 
ard Christoleer, 200 ; Joliaii 
(Ireisman, 40 ; Conrad Kuster, 
100; Michael Bang, 75; Jacol) 
Fuln-man, 10; JohnniK's Ilent/. 
100 ; Ludwig Zerkel, 100 ; 
Johannes Wilhelm. 50 : Ilein- 



HISTORY OF FRANCONIA TOWNSHIP 05 
ricli lvi)seiibor^er, IDO; Jost the c'onsimnjtioii of tli*^ liimil\-, 
Scliindler, 140; Christian May- however, was raisodon the farm, 
er, 150; Abraham Reif, 200; Fhix grown, swingled, spun at 
Jacob liunsberger, 50 ; Geor<;e home and woven supplied sliirt- 
German, 100; Frederick (Jott- ing, bedding and summer we:ir. 
s(;ha'.k, 150; Wilhelm Hauk, Sheep vielded their i-arcass for 
l(tO; Ilenrieh Zerkel, 50; Mich- food an winter flannels. After 
ael Hentz, 100; Gorg Hartzell, the laboring ox had done the 
5(1; Frederick Scholl, 100; summer hauling and was fatten- 
. Jacob Bayard, 100; Andrew ed the flesh was consumed, and 
Bariidt, 75; Henry Barndt, 100, the hide taken to th(» tannerv 
and (Christian Fimk, 100. Thes(i to b(^ converted into leather for 
being all farmers, whicli we home use. This description of 
find was the occupation of near- oldeii-timc farm life onl\- needs 
ly all thi:^ colonial inhabitants . the further picturing of the 
The colonial inhabitants were rustic open-kitchen fnv-place, 
exclusively an agricultural half way acrcjss the room on 
people and lacked nearlv everv which lav a hu<it' ereen back-lof 
farming implement now in use. expected to last a week. Here 
Many of thi' i)lows had wooden the mother was sitting and 
iuoulboards to turn the soil ; spinning stocking \arn while 
wheat was cut with a sickle, her daughters were sitting 
gathered and threshed bv hand, around and knitting l)v tiie faint 
hay was cut with a scythe at- fat-light. But these things have 
tached to a staight sneath, and all passed away from our 
when harvested and his small l)orders and the book, paper, 
surplus |)repared lor market it piano and serving ma(diine have 
must be borne to the city taken their place. The forego- 
over miry roads to exchange f»r ing disci-iption indicates to the 
the few groceries and British people of our time how our 
manufactured goods. Xearlv all fathers and mothers worked a 



90 



HISTORY OF FRANCONTA 'J'OWNSHTP 



hundred years ago. But new 
ideas and methods of Hving are 
dawning our age from the town, 
the viUage and the remotest 
farm liouse. Free schools and 
improved lands ha\'e excuted all 
over the country a desire for 
more easy and sufficient methods 
of farming and other produc- 
tions. 

Years ago farmers threw 
aside the si(^kle, scythes and 
hand rakes resolving to keep 
abreast of the times by using 
horse power implements to cul- 
tivate, gather and prepare farm 
products for the market, Thus 
by improved land with the free 
use of lime and fertilizers crops 
have been nearlv doubled ; and 



the railroad get into operation 
acrcjss our territory than the 
telegi'apli followed it, thus put- 
ting us iuto instantaneous com- 
numication with alltheadvance<l 
countries of the world. Now 
poles aud Mires pass through 
many of our villages and 
stations along the raib\)ad, which 
enables us to converse with 
friends and correspondents along 
distant places. But the two 
grandest elevates — we might 
say institutions — of society in 
this last quarter of the century 
are the reaping or moAving ma- 
chine of the farmer and the sew- 
ing machine of the household. 
By their use the man or woman 
who employs either has <piad- 



now instead of spending two rupled his or her in-oductive 
months of exhaustive labor, as ])()wer. Husbandry and farm 
formerly, to gather and store a work has been so completely- 



harvest it is now done in a fort- 
niiiht. Thus, also, inci-eased 
])rofit in agiiculture excited a 
desire for moi'e comfortable 
dwellings, capacious barns, more 
elegant e^iuipages and attire, 
also liaiidsomer churches and 
school houses. \o sooner did 



transformed that few women 
{participate in farm woi*k, dairy 
being the chief occujjation in 
this township, bens and men 
doing the milking while the 
product is worked into a market- 
able sha}>e at cn^inieries I'ecent- 
Iv Imiit and furnislied all over 



HISTORY OF FRANCONIA TOWNSHIP. f)7 
the oouiitrv. 'Vlw hitter idso iiuuhj with a lew (h)iiiestie aiii- 
worked hy men and hoys while nials and a supply of" seed for 
many of our mothers and sisters phinting the enfranchised em- 
only ply the needle and se\vin<>- migrant telt himself "Lord of 
machine, oi- perhaps finger the the manor." The children, the 
[)iano or hai-p. future of the family, were the 
At the commencement of the next source of solicitude. The 
colonial age our ancestors were next want of the settlement now- 
like half taught youth let loose was a rude S(;hool house, which 
from school almost untrained in might also serve as a place for 
the [)ractical life that lay hefore religious meetings ; it was soon 
them. But they came here on up, in like manner of logs, In* 
a mission of peace to all men, the joint effort of the neighhor- 
to establish justice and love. In- hood. Soon aftei- the first pub- 
stead of fighting the natives they lie institution just described 
attacked the forest and rocks, came the neighborhood black- 
\yhich fell or were removed be- smith shop, to pre])are farm 
foi'e them on every side. The implements, and the rude mill 
first thing wanted was shelter to prepare the new grain for 
from the howling beast and food. These were all establish- 
weather. Seeking out, there- ed, not much advanced in archi- 
fore, near a spring or creek a tectnre, but'served the age. 
southern declivity a rude cabin With what novelty at the 
of logs was ))uilt. Pro\ided present day nnist we view such 
with a few tools of iron and a progress when we reflect on 
steel and some wooden and tin the many and mighty changes 
vessels their toils begun, while we have made since the first 
the generous Indian looked on settlement of our township that 
admiringly and pleased with his man and time w rought in so 
new brethren. A habitation short a period ? When we be- 
thus finished, a small clearinij; liold itsraili-oads with their Ion*; 



08 lilSTORV' OF FKANCONTA TOWNSIII]*. 

dark trains, the maiiv thri\ing not a reaper, not n steam en- 

villan-eF! that adorn onr territory ""ine, not a match, not a thresh- 

and the many l)u,sy business en- ing maehine. not a clothes 

terprises, and quiet, pleasant wringer in all the wide world, 

villa residences. What a tale But then Kurope was crowded 

is told of progress ? To reter and old-fashioned, miserable 

at a period, would say 1850, Americii consisted of a narrow 

Avhen hamlets and villages were stri}) of cultivated soil along the 

almost unkno\yn in our town- Atlantic coast, with here and 

ship, when the spots where now there a village. Now we cross 

the villages of Telford and the continent in six or seven 

Souderton stand were unmarked days, the ocean in the same 

by a single business place. The time, send a dispatch to Buenos 

hills and valleys were covered Ayres and have an answer in 

with their majestic ancient for- a few hours. ^V^e tiav^e almost 

ests, with the exception of here anhilated time and space. An- 

and there, where occasionally other half a century of such 

the hardy farmer settlers had progress will so transform our 

effected the forests and erected country as to make the pi'esent 

for themselves a residence generation stand on their heads 

^JV)-day our courdry is covered . with wonder, 
with a network of railroads and Of the blessing which civil- 
telegraph wires; when sixty- ization and philosophy bring with 
tAvo years ago not a single rail- them a large proportion is (-om- 
road or. telegraph pole was mon to all ranks, and would, if 
dreamed of in tlie world. vSuch withdrawn, be inissed painfully 
is progress. The present gene- by all laboreis. For instance 
ration scarcely realizes what a the market place which the rus- 
duli creaping old world was tic can now reach in an hour, 
when our gi-and-l'athers were was thii-ty years ago, a day's 
bovs. Not a sewing macdiine, journey from home. The streets 



HISTORY OF FRANCONIA TOWNSHIP 



!l!) 



which now iilTord« to the artitsan 
(luring the whole night, a bril- 
liant light and convenient walk, 
was a hundred years so dark 
after sunset that he would not 
have beeti able to see his hand, 
>o illpaved that he would have 
run constant risk of breaking 
his neck, and so ill watched that 
he would have been in immi- 
nent danger of being knocked 
down and plundered of his small 
earnings. Every bricklayer 
who tails from the scaffold, every 
sweeper of a crossing who is run 
over by a carriage may now 
have his wounds dressed and his 
limbs set with a skill such as a 
hundred and fifty years ago all 
the wealth of a kini»: or of a 



civilization was not dreamed of 
in our section. At present only 
one inhabitant of the capital in 
forty dies annually. 

It is pleasing to reflect that 
the })ublic mind of our country 
has softened while it has ripened, 
and that we have in course of 
ages not only a wiser but also a 
kinder people. There is scarce- 
ly a page of the history or lighter 
literature which does not con- 
tain some proot that our ances- 
tors were less humane than their 
posterity. It is true the com- 
passion ought, like all other feel- 
ings, to be under the govern- 
ment of reason, and has, for 
want of such government, pro- 
duced some rediculous and de- 



merchant prince could not have plorable effects, but the niore 



j)urchased. The term of human 
life has been lengthened over 
trie whole union, especially in 
the towns. The year 1685 
was not accounted sickly yet 
more then one out of every 
twenty-three inhabitants of the 
capital died. When we speak 
of this date we have not in view 



we study the annals of the past 
the more we rejoice that we live 
in a meriful age, in an age in 
which cruelty is Jibhored and in 
which pain, even when deserved, 
is inflicted relucantly and from 
a duty. Every class, doubtless, 
has gained largely by this great 
moral change, but the class 



our immediate township, because Avhich has gained the most is 



100 IIISTOKY OF FllANCUNlA TOWNSHIP. 

the poorest, the most defenseless for they recall the fac+ that ages 



and the most dependent. 

The homes of our torefathers 
where they had to work under 
tew heavy obligations, will ever 
be a place of interest to us and 
the coming -generations. They 
not only cleared the land and 
built houses for their families, 
but also established churches, 
schools and besides defended 
their country when fredom of 
speech was ever untremmeled. 
Deeds have been accomplished 
that may never be blotted from 
truthful history. Their homes 
and localities may suffer changes 
by the onward progress of time, 
but their associations can never 
decrease in value to the sensi- 
tive mind. The rude colimms 
may crumble from the churches, 
their dwellings, which have 
withstood the storms of ages, 
may tall, the skill of their me- 
chanics may come defaced from 
the surfoce, but the fragments 
scattered over the ground in 
masses will still speak as the 
works of theirs. We truly look 
upon such relics with reverence, 



past they were prominent sup- 
porters and ornaments to gigan- 
tic edifices, such as their circum- 
stances allowed. Certainly these 
circumstances excites venera- 
tion, because, while we gaze on 
them, we feel ourselves in the 
■presence of antiquity, living 
representatives of centuries 
w^hich have their origin way 
back in the dim distance of the 
past. When we reflect upon the 
past in the dark days of the 
devolution it spreads a mystic 
charm over the aspirations, leads 
the thoughts back through the 
archieves of the past and re- 
paints the dark days of our 
country's history. Such are 
the reflections that comes over 
the sensative mind by studN'nig 
our country's history. Their 
voices seem still to ring on our 
ears, and their manly forms 
stand ])efove our eyes; upon 
these reflections the mind loves 
to ponder on, for here it learns 
to appreciate the value of those 
blessings which we enjoy, but 
which were piu'chased at ac()stl\' 



IIISTOHY OF FRAN 

price by our brave fbrefatliers. 

Ls it uota phenomenoii, woi'th 
our study, that we should be so 
anxious to place our eyes in the 
back of our heads just now ? That 
we should so simultaneously 
and unanimously turn i'rom the 
rising to the setting sun ? That 
we should one and all slight the 
glorious iuture and the prolific 
})resent to severe alone the 'dead 
past' ? 

The answer varies ever as 
the souls of men 1 "Many men 
of many minds." 

But it is certainly pleasure 
to learn and honor the departed 
;incestry. Age is honorable. 

Our ancestry's record does 
seem very poor and simple, a- 
side of the pi'olific catalogue of 
to-day. 

They never built an engine, 
they never launched a steam- 
bout, they never surveyed a 
railroad, they never saw a tele- 
graph, they never whispered in 
a telephone, they never rode a 
reaper, they never run a sewing 
machine; it was easily said this 
world was not worth livintr in 



CON I A TOWNSIIIF. 101 

fifty years ago. 

To enroll facts of by-gone 
days is an instinct of the race 
which ever did and ever will 
continue to come to surface of 
human society among all nations 
and at all stages of the world's 
march. To deny this proposi- 
tion is to ccmtend against his- 
tory. The memory of men 
does not know oi a time or a 
a people that did not grace itself 
with monumental deed^ and 
memorial honors. In the time 
of the premial Sabbath of God, 
when the miracle of creation 
was first commemorated festival 
days and jubilee songs bloomed 
and flavored the great highway 
of time. 

Our vanished ancestry made 
but few things, but those tliey 
made well. Their homesteads 
stand like castles aside of the 
frail structures of to-day, with 
the moss of a full centurv undei- 
their roof trees. Their hand 
work was and is still hand work, 
the product of patient souls and 
nimble fingers, and proof against 
moth and rust. In Q\'vvy sur_ 



102 



HISTOUY OF FllANCONIA TOWNSHIP. 



viving article which the hands 
of our fathers and mothers have 
made we may read their craving 
after an enduring name and 
being. 

Nor can their offspring tail to 
respond to so natural a longing. 
We need not blush o ver sires so 
genuine and noble as they 
proved to be. They were stal- 
wart generations of men and 
women, of fjxthers and mothers, 
of sons and daughters ; a. hardj^ 
race of good blood . 

Their century's relics nnd do- 
ings are precious, not merely 
because they are a hundred 
years old, but because "they are 
which testify of them," of the 
generations that went before. 
We admire the mountains, not 
because of their dizzy height 
alone, but for that those have 
been passing through all ages 
that have been. We admire the 
stars, not on account of their 
brilliancy alone, but because 



they looked down on all genoi 



3477-251 
Lot-3^ 



ations of men. And such an 
unction rest upon the remains 
of our venerable pioneers. 

Why are now the handiworks 
of a century w^ithered effects of 
an ancestry that is to-day no 
more than if it never had been, 
handed down as precious heir- 
loomsto our children, and prized 
above all others ? It is because 
these relics are not without 
fathers and mothers. They are 
the title deeds of homes and 
land our sires once acquir^^d, and 
we are but their heirs. Hence 
do we embalm in memory's cab- 
inet their clumsy tenements, 
their rude utensils, their instru- 
ments so rough, their coaches 
lubberly, their home spun linens 
and all their hands have made. 
Our forefathers have certainly 
performed works of filial piety 
and we, in memory of a worthy 
ancestry, thereby challange the 
fulfillment of the first command- 
ment with promise, "Honor thy 
father and thy mother." 






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